Good practice:

Energy efficiency measures for enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs

Priority Axis 2 supports the creation and expansion of advanced production capacities and services development, supported, among others, by the adoption of energy efficiency measures. This will involve measures that will address dependence on low value-added economic sectors, the ability to advance in the value chain, access to finance, assistance and markets, access to know-how and business skills relevant. While Investment Priority 2.1A is dedicated to support the development of micro-enterprises, Investment Priority 2.2 targets small and medium enterprises. The types of energy efficiency measures that can be financed through the Priority Investments 2.1A and 2.2 are the following:  upgrade / purchase of specific energy-saving installations / equipment as well as systems that use renewable (alternative) energy sources;  optimization of operating installations and technological flows minimizing source waste and increasing level of waste recovery and recycling;  use renewable energy sources solar, wind and geothermal energy, hydropower, biomass. The total eligible value of the project can vary between 25k eur and 1 mil. Eur, with a co-financing rate between 60% and 90%. Specifically for the energy efficiency investments, the SME can receive funding representing 15% of the total eligible value of the project. This rule only applies in case of IP 2.1 calls for proposals.

More than 41 mil. Eur have been allocated for the Priority Investment 2.1A and more than 35 mil. Eur for the Priority Investment 2.2.

The results achieved are consisting in the number of SMEs financed through the Investment Priorities, respectively: - IP 2.1A: first call (27.07.2016 – 04.05.2017) and second call (08.07.2019 – 08.11.2019) – 423 projects; - IP 2.2: first call (23.02.2017 – 04.06.2020) – 87 projects; second call (30.10.2020 – 30.11.2020) – 23 projects.

The number of applications submitted for funding was higher compared to the financial allocation initially established. In this situation, some of the winning projects were included in the reserve list until establishing the possibility of supplementing / reallocating.

An important mentioning in this matter, refers to the recipe of the two Investment Priorities that includes a financing instrument which combines several types of eligible expenditures (such as: construction works for building production halls, procurement of technological equipment, machinery, furniture, computer equipment, intangible assets, investments in the creation of online marketing tools etc.) including those for energy efficiency measures (procurement of specific installations / equipment for the purpose of obtaining energy savings, as well as systems that uses renewable (alternative) energy sources), in order to help increase the competitiveness of SMEs. Also, taking into consideration the fact that this is a regional initiative, we consider that the potential of learning and/or transfer exists, especially because of the higher number of applications that have been financed.