Good practice:

Energy Efficiency Grants in La Rioja

In recent times the fight against climate change and the transition to a green economy has become one of the pillars on which European policies are based. Within this decarbonisation strategy, energy efficiency plays a very important role. In this context, the Government of La Rioja is launching, through the Economic Development Agency of La Rioja, two lines of subsidies aimed at promoting energy saving and efficiency in companies in La Rioja. These two lines are as follows:
1.- TEC: Subsidises actions aimed at promoting renewable energies, energy savings and efficiency and environmental protection, on a direct grant basis. With regard to energy efficiency, which is what concerns us here, projects are eligible for subsidies if they include actions aimed at a rational and efficient use of energy that enable companies to achieve savings in their energy consumption, such as projects to improve the energy efficiency of thermal or lighting installations, energy-consuming processes, installations and/or production equipment, rehabilitation of the thermal envelope, efficient management of transport fleets, installation of systems for measuring and controlling energy consumption or any other project that allow companies to get a higher energy efficiency. The minimum investment is €6,000 and the aid intensity ranges from 20 to 22%.

2.- CHE: Subsidises energy audits through its item 8 "Efficient processes cheque". The maximum investment is €4,000 with a subsidy intensity of 100%.

1.7 M€ in grants between 2015 and 2019.
Staff from the Economic Development Agency of La Rioja involved in this practice is difficult to quantify, but it should be at least two technicians.

Between 2015 and 2019, 170 energy efficiency projects have been approved under the TEC line of aid, with a total approved investment of just over €8 million and a committed subsidy of 1.7 M€.
In the CHE grant line (energy audits) between 2018 and 2019, 5 applications were submitted with a total approved subsidy of 20,000 €.

This good practice can be easily transferable and adaptable to a large number of European regions as most of them use aid as a commonly used instrument within their development policies.