19.06.2023.
This week, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund will launch six new public calls for waste management projects, climate change adaptation projects and the development of EV charging infrastructure. Potential applicants will have available as much as EUR 26.2 million in grants. Depending on the call, funds will be available to local units, private and public sector companies, health facilities, nursing homes and children's homes.Most of the funds – EUR 17 million – are earmarked for climate change adaptation, or 5 million more than last year0s budget that was used to co-finance 46 projects. Significant interest in this program is also shown by the response to the call for financing the development of the Programme for mitigation, climate change adaptation and ozone layer protection, as well as the development of working bases for the development of Climate Change Adaptation Action Plans (SECAP), which are necessary for the implementation of green infrastructure projects. Many local units are aware that this is an investment in the future of our environment and our municipalities and cities, especially considering the weather extremes that have already clearly demonstrated the necessity of such investments. The project co-financing rate is up to 80%, and the maximum amount of the Fund's investment per project is 350 thousand euros.
For the procurement of devices for biowaste (food waste) prevention in hospitals and special hospitals, in nursing homes and children's homes, co-financing rates range from 40, 60 to 80%, depending on the location. It is a follow-up of the program under which similar devices were financed by for hotels and student centers, and which achieved excellent results in the form of reducing the volume of food waste that was being disposed of in landfills. In addition to the financing of devices, the program is trying to, through educational materials, to have an on impact the reduction of generation of such waste, with the total available funds amount to 840 thousand euros.
For local self-government units on the islands, the Fund will co-finance with EUR 3 million the construction of mini transfer stations. They will be used for temporary storage, preparation, and tr and transfer of separately collected municipal waste for its transport to the mainland and further recovery and disposal, all with the aim of achieving the goals of the circular economy and protecting the nature of our islands. The possible grant per project amounts up to 250 thousand euros.
Although the priority in the waste management hierarchy is to generate as little waste as possible, the part that is still landfilled and the waste that remains after mechanical-biological treatment in the centres has the potential for further use. One option is to apply energy recovery procedures, using appropriate flue gas treatment technologies. That is why this year the Fund developed a program worth 400 thousand euros to finance the preparation of pilot projects related to the exploitation of the energy potential of waste as a resource. For the drawing up of project and technical documentation, beneficiaries can receive 100% of the financing, i.e. up to 50,000.00 euros.
In addition to co-financing environmental projects, the Fund will also encourage the establishment of the EV charging infrastructure with EUR 5 million. Up to 20,000 euros will be available to public sector legal entities that have more than 20 parking spaces in front of their buildings. This is a continuation of the Fund's investment in the development of e-mobility to further strengthen the infrastructure for the growing number of energy-efficient vehicles on our roads. Regarding the incentives for such vehicles, in the autumn the Fund plans to publish this public call following a detailed analysis of the current incentive system.
