Businesses with access to over BGN 235 million from the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works for energy efficiency of buildings

The procedure for energy efficiency of buildings in manufacturing, trade, services and tourism is launched. The measure will be financed with over BGN 235 million (excluding VAT) from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The procedure “Support for energy renovation of buildings in manufacturing, trade and services” is managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. It aims to improve the energy performance of buildings by implementing sustainable integrated high performance energy measures to achieve a minimum 30% primary energy saving. This will also ensure a reduction in energy costs for businesses, a better microclimate for the working environment, improve performance and extend the life cycle of buildings.

Eligible applicants for funding under the procedure may be traders within the meaning of the Commercial Act or the Cooperatives Act, as well as micro, small, medium and large enterprises throughout the country. They must be registered no later than 31.12.2019 and have generated a certain net sales revenue for the 2022 financial year, depending on the category of enterprise. Buildings, including those in the tourism sector, must be owned by the applicant or have a building right in favour of the applicant.

The forecast is to renovate 250 buildings with the available resources. The total amount of funds is allocated to the different components and category of enterprises. Buildings of enterprises in the manufacturing sector are expected to receive 33% of the resource or over BGN 77.6 million. The remaining funds of over BGN 157.5 million are for commercial, service and tourism facilities. The largest share is allocated to large enterprises, as they are also the most energy intensive.

The minimum and maximum amount of grant funding requested for each individual proposal for the implementation of an investment under the procedure is allocated according to the category of enterprises. Thus, for micro-enterprises the minimum amount is BGN 35 thousand and the maximum - BGN 100 thousand, for small enterprises it is from BGN 35 thousand to BGN 300 thousand, for medium-sized from BGN 100 thousand to BGN 500 thousand, and large enterprises will receive funding up to BGN 1.5 million.

The approval of projects will be through a competitive selection process following a single stage evaluation, with the aim of achieving equal access to the resource and encouraging the development of greener businesses. The procedure will not support activities financed under any other project, programme or any other financial scheme originating from the national budget, the EU budget or any other donor programme. Branches of legal entities registered in Bulgaria are not eligible. An applicant may submit only one proposal for the implementation of an investment, which may include up to three buildings that are owned by the applicant or have a building right established by the applicant.

Eligible activities under this procedure are the carrying out of an energy efficiency audit and certification for the purposes of submitting a proposal under this procedure; works for the implementation of energy efficiency measures and measures for the recovery of energy from renewable sources, if specified in the energy audit, including all accompanying works necessary for the implementation of the measures, for the preparation of an investment project and its conformity assessment in accordance with the Spatial Planning Act, author and construction supervision, activities related to the commissioning of the facilities, etc.

The Application Guidelines and their annexes, together with all the requirements and eligibility conditions to be met by the proposal, are published on the following websites: https://www.mrrb.bg/bg/proekti-po-npvu/proceduri-po-npvu/proceduri-otvoreni-za-kandidatstvane/ and at https://eumis2020.government.bg/bg/s/800c457d-e8be-4421-8ed9-9e78d0a75c39/Procedure/Active.

Submission of proposals shall be made entirely electronically by submitting an electronic application form and supporting documents to the Information System for Management and Monitoring 2020, section of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, at the following web address: https://eumis2020.government.bg/bg/s/800c457d-e8be-4421-8ed9-9e78d0a75c39/Procedure/Active.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 15.06.2023, 17:30.