State Eco Fund supports environmental, renewables investments in Slovenia

Through its environmental fund, Slovenia renewed subsidy schemes for companies, entrepreneurs and local authorities that decide to spend on energy efficiency, renewables and measures to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Eco Fund – Eko sklad has issued three public calls for its programs for legal entities that wish to invest in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, low-emission cars, waste and water management and energy-efficient tyres for buses and trucks. The state-backed entity approves incentives, grants and favorable loans for environmental measures and renewables in Slovenia.

Cheap loans for environmental investments

The criteria has become stricter than in previous rounds, it said. Eco Fund earmarked EUR 10 million for cheap loans for environmental investments and said the maximum emissions of hybrid passenger cars is 85 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.

In the category, the interest rate wasn’t changed: three-month Euribor plus 1.3 percentage points. Loans range from EUR 25,000 to EUR 2 million per application and the repayment period is up to 15 years and beneficiaries are also eligible for grants.

Slovenia to approve grants on top of subsidized interest rate for renewables, energy efficiency

Another call from the environmental fund is for combined financial incentives for investments in renewables and energy efficiency measures in Slovenia. The share of the grant is as high as 20% of the value and the loan is approved with a subsidized interest rate, equal to Euribor.

The section includes thermal insulation of structures, heat pumps, wood biomass boilers for heating, connection to district heating, ventilation with heat recovery, lighting, near-zero energy buildings and cogeneration systems.

Owners of trucks and buses can get subsidies of EUR 70 per tyre with a high energy efficiency grade

The grant for energy efficiency is limited to EUR 250 per 1 MWh in annual energy savings and the maximum repayment period is 12 years.

Otherwise, the loan must be returned within 15 years and the investment must be finished in two years. Unlike in previous rounds, local communities aren’t eligible for incentives in the construction of near-zero energy buildings, and private entrepreneurs can only apply for investments in office buildings, while a separate call is for residential structures.

The third new section is for high-graded tyres for lorries, trailers and buses. The budget is EUR 1.1 million. Eco Fund said it doubled the subsidy per tyre to EUR 70.