A big-budget increase for grant schemes to encourage thermal roof insulation and installation of photovoltaic systems in homes built before 2017 was announced by the Energy Ministry.
The available budget for 2022-2023 is expected to exceed €20 mln and has been secured through the EU Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said the increase in the budget and the improvement of the scheme’s provisions are part of the government’s support for households to reduce their energy costs.
According to the minister, the plan will help even more people install photovoltaic systems and implement energy saving (ES) measures to reduce the cost of their electricity bills.
“Increasing the penetration of RES and the energy upgrade of buildings contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the National Strategy for the rapid transition to green energy, which provides the gradual decommissioning of fossil fuels and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” Pilides said.
The scheme to encourage RES and ES in existing households will be applied retroactively to ensure the smooth continuation of the previous plan expires on 20 December 2021.
The duration of its implementation will be until 20 December 2023, or until the available budget is exhausted.
Installation of photovoltaic systems concerns homes that have obtained a building permit or an urban planning permit before 1 January 2017.
Each kilowatt is subsidized with €375, and the total sponsorship is €1,500.
As part of the policy to support mountain communities, the amounts are increased by 50%.
Vulnerable households are subsidized with €1,000 per KW, with a maximum sponsorship amount of €5,000.
Thermal roof insulation subsidy covers homes that have obtained a building permit or an urban planning permit before 12 December 2007.
The grant can amount to 45% of the eligible costs, with full sponsorship of up to €2,250.
However, as part of the policy to support mountain communities, the amounts are increased by 50%.
In a combination of the two, for thermal insulation, 55% of the eligible costs are covered with a maximum subsidy of €2,750. For installing a photovoltaic system, it’s €450 per installed KW, with a maximum of €1,800.
As part of the policy to support mountain communities, the amounts are increased by 50%.
Solar water heaters
Grant schemes amounting to €600,000 – increased by 35% – for installing or replacing solar hot water systems in households were announced on 10 May.
The support concerns investments in existing houses where a building permit or urban planning permit was submitted before 21.12.2007.
The project provides grants for integrated solar systems (cylinder and solar panels) that certified professionals install.
The subsidy is €450 per house/system (from €350 last year – an increase of 28.5%), while for homes located in mountainous areas, it doubles and reaches €900 (from €700 last year – an increase of 28.5%).
Solar hot water systems can provide 70% of the annual need for hot water for a home without any operating costs and minimal maintenance, significantly reducing electricity costs.
