Five projects submitted for the Energy Efficiency Programme run by the Ministry of Economy

Although there were expected about 20 small and medium-sized companies to submit their projects for the Energy Efficiency Programme the Ministry of Economy runs between 2014 and 2017, only five such companies sent their applications by the deadline set by the ministry – May 9, 2014. 

“Total value of these projects is 23,238,782 lei (about 5.2 million euro), and the amount of requested grant is 10,643,617 (approximately 2.38 million euro). These figures do not cover the amount of the grant for this Programme”, states a press release of the ministry.

Total funds allocated to this financing programme MF SEE – European Economic Area Financial Mechanism add up to some 9.4 million euro, being supported by 8 million euro grants provided by Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. Yet, as it is co-financed, the remaining amount represents Romania's contribution.

After the evaluation session of the five projects, the Ministry of Economy which acts as Programme Operator, and the Ministry of European Funds will determine the terms for launching a new call for submission of new projects for energy efficiency, so as to eventually allocate the entire funds granted.              

With this programme, which targets Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the industry sector, Romania aims to improve energy efficiency by diminishing CO2 impact through energy savings in industry and by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. So, projects which generate the highest reduction of CO2 emission relative to financial resources granted are treated as priority.

Next month expires the deadline for implementing in the domestic regulations the provisions of the Directive 2012/27/EU with respect to energy efficiency, thus Romania will have to concentrate its efforts on taking the necessary measures so as to comply with the recommendations made through the said Directive whose specific objective is to improve the EU’s energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020.