5 de Aug 2020
The Minister of Ecological Transition and Sustainability, Olga García, presented this Friday in Mérida the lines of aid for renewable energies and energy saving and efficiency, “with which it is intended to promote a significant deployment of renewable energies through a outstanding financial support for investment in projects that involve the use of clean energy ”.
Specifically, the Extremaduran head of Ecological Transition, who has been accompanied by the general director of Industry, Energy and Mines, Samuel Ruiz, has confirmed that the Official Gazette of Extremadura (DOE) publishes this Friday the regulatory bases of these lines of aid and he has indicated that "in a few days, calls will be opened."
And it is that, in his opinion, these grants represent the consolidation of the determined commitment of the Junta de Extremadura for the generation of renewable energy by substituting fossil fuels and for the promotion of efficiency and energy saving as a decisive measure of sustainability.
In turn, the counselor recalled that renewable energies are clean, safe and some, such as photovoltaic self-consumption, profitable by itself, although she recognized that when it came to being adopted by users, “the installation cost barrier was a limiting factor ”.
In this sense, he stated that from the Junta de Extremadura “we have made a great effort to carry out this incentive package and make them more attractive”.
He has also stated that the main novelty of these bases is that the aid rises to 55 percent of the eligible cost compared to 40 percent of the previous call “and this represents an undoubted stimulus to take the definitive step on the energy path renewable ”.
AID FOR ACTIONS TO PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGIES
In the same way, García has indicated that 8,760,000 euros are allocated for the start-up of new renewable energy facilities and that these grants contribute to promoting more innovative investment models and promoting changes in energy consumption and production patterns "using resources effectively, reinforcing business competitiveness and promoting greater energy security ”.
He also highlighted the “considerable” increase in the intensity of the aid and explained that while for the municipalities and local entities the aid continues at 80 percent of the eligible costs for the rest of the beneficiaries, mainly individuals and SMEs, the coverage goes from 40 to 55 percent.
In the same way, these subsidies are divided into three lines that are aid aimed at individuals, communities of owners and non-profit associations with respect to their homes and buildings.
The other two lines are aid aimed at municipalities and smaller local entities with respect to their municipal dependencies and aid for actions in renewable energies, aimed at the business sector.
The counselor stressed that self-consumption in this call has 4.9 million euros for its promotion and that the aid is directly granted.
AID FOR SAVING AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ACTIONS
Aid is provided with 3,600,000 euros for investments that contribute to the saving and efficiency of the primary energy consumed, improving the use of energy in existing facilities and in new ones.
According to the counselor, two lines of help are established, one aimed at the business sector, SMEs and their groups, and communities of goods; and another aimed at infrastructures and public services in the region, municipalities and smaller local entities and energy service providers.
It has recognized that, as with renewables, the main novelty in these bases is the increase in aid to beneficiaries and, in this sense, it has indicated that an intensity of 80 percent of the eligible costs is established for the municipalities and smaller local entities and between 55 to 70 percent for the business sector.
Both grants, financed with ERDF funds, are granted directly by open call and interested parties will have a period of 6 months to request them, according to the Board in a press release.
The counselor has announced that to these aid lines another four will be added soon for energy efficiency actions in SMEs and large companies in the industrial sector; for the use of biomass through biofuels; and another two destined for Extremadura that has been approved by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDEA) to finance renewable electric energy projects.
In his opinion, "this is the most important aid package that has been launched in Extremadura so far to promote the energy transition."
MANUFACTURE OF SOLID BIOFUELS FROM BIOMASS
For his part, Samuel Ruiz has detailed the four lines of aid that will be available soon and has referred to aid for actions related to the manufacture of solid biofuels from biomass.
This line, financed by EAFRD funds, seeks to promote the development of the bioeconomy through the supply and use of renewable sources of energy from forest biomass and agricultural residues.
The general director has said that the promotion of activities destined to the manufacture of solid biofuels such as pellets and charcoal is subsidized with 5,077,000 euros and has added that it is aimed at SMEs in rural areas.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN SMEs AND LARGE COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
Ruiz has affirmed that the aid for energy efficiency actions in SMEs and large companies in the industrial sector are regulated at the national level and "in Extremadura we approved for the first time" the regional call to incentivize and promote energy efficiency in small, medium and large companies , “Exclusively from the industrial sector”.
The objective of these grants, with an allocation of 1,974,813 euros, is for industries to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and final energy consumption through measures aimed at improving technology in industrial equipment and processes by subsidizing the replacement of equipment and the implementation of energy management systems.
The resources for this program come from the National Fund for Energy Efficiency and is co-financed with ERDF funds.
In his opinion, these aids will favor a greater presence of clean energies, will exert a driving effect on the Extremadura economy and industry and will affect the improvement of its competitiveness.
INVESTMENT IN THERMAL ENERGY PRODUCTION INSTALLATIONS WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
The general manager explained that the IDAE makes 4,755,632 euros available to Extremadura for projects to produce thermal energy with renewable sources.
"They are subsidies for renewable gas production facilities, such as biogas or biomethane, aerothermal energy, heat pumps or concentrating solar energy systems to provide heat to industrial processes."
ELECTRIC ENERGY GENERATION INSTALLATIONS WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
Ruiz has indicated that the IDAE subsidizes with 12 million euros the projects that are developed in Extremadura of electricity generation with renewable sources, such as photovoltaic projects with storage, projects for self-consumption and self-consumption in seasonal industries.
Likewise, projects for self-consumption facilities for charging point stations for electric vehicles; projects of agroindustrial or industrial biogas generation and use facilities; and photovoltaic projects with hydrogen generation-storage.
He said that in order to determine the level of intensity of the aid, the implementation of projects in key aspects for our region such as the agricultural sector, the industrial sector, the creation of employment or the innovative nature will be assessed.
Finally, he highlighted the million euros that is allocated to self-consumption projects in seasonal activities so rooted in our region such as the processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables; the manufacture of olive oil; and winemaking.