Eco Fund expands biomass heating grants program to entire Slovenia, cuts EV subsidies

Slovenia’s Environmental Public Fund (Eco Fund or Eko Sklad) has issued a new call for grants to vulnerable citizens for the replacement of old heating devices in residential buildings with new, energy-efficient wood biomass heating, while extending the program to the entire country, according to an announcement on the website of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.

In the previous round, grants were approved only in municipalities covered by a decree on the air quality plan. Unlike the previous call, which envisaged the replacement of solid-fuel devices only, the new invitation also covers old heating devices burning fuel oil or gas. The non-refundable incentives cover 100% of the cost of the replacement, according to the announcement.

In contrast to the previous one, the new public call allows for granting the subsidy even if the applicant – a recipient of regular welfare assistance or allowance – is not the owner or co-owner of the building or apartment in question.

Subsidies for electric vehicles reduced under new public call

The Eco Fund has also published a fresh invitation for subsidies for the purchase of electric and hybrid vehicles for citizens and businesses, according to the ministry’s website.

Compared with the previous round, the new invitation envisages lower amounts of subsidies. The subsidy amount for category L7e vehicles and plug-in hybrid or electric-powered vehicles with a range extender has been reduced from EUR 4,500 to EUR 2,000, while the incentive for the purchase of category L6e vehicles has been lowered from EUR 3,000 to EUR 1,500.

Also, the requirement for the reduction of CO2 emissions for a plug-in or electric vehicle with a range extender is reduced from 80 g CO2 / km to 50 g CO2 / km, according to the announcement.

An important change is also in the conditions for applying for subsidies for test vehicles, with the vehicle now required to be first registered in the Republic of Slovenia. Previously, the vehicle being sold had to be first registered in the EU.

Also, the seller must be the first user of the vehicle, instead of the first owner previously, according to the ministry’s website.