PRESENTATION

Action IV.4b.2.1 of the Piedmont Region’s ROP ERDF 2014-2020 provides grants to businesses for investments in energy efficiency improvements, including through the use of energy from renewable sources.

Eligible:

1. energy efficiency interventions (high-efficiency cogeneration plants, interventions to increase the energy efficiency of production processes and buildings, punctual replacement of low-efficiency systems and components with more efficient ones, installation of new high-efficiency production lines).

2. interventions in the installation of renewable energy systems whose energy produced is entirely for self-consumption in the local unit.

The support is for a combined financing with a grant.

The call is open-door, and the willingness of the selected bank to co-finance the investment is a necessary condition for applying.

BENEFICIARIES

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MPMIs) and Large Enterprises (GIs) whose headquarters or local unit where the interventions will be carried out is located and operational in Piedmont and is active and productive are eligible to apply for the facilities under this Call for Proposals. The primary ATECO code of the location targeted by the intervention must be among those listed in Annex 1 to the Call.

As an exception to the general rule, the eligible primary ATECO code can also be activated at the end of the intervention in case the investment is aimed at starting a new primary activity at the location targeted by the investment.

The company must not be in a state of bankruptcy, compulsory liquidation, composition or other insolvency proceedings governed by R.D. 267/1942 or special laws (e.g. D. L. 270/1999 on the extraordinary administration of large companies in crisis), nor be involved in proceedings for the settlement of over-indebtedness crises (L. 3/2012). In addition, no proceedings aimed at declaring any of the situations described must be under way. Moreover, the enterprise must not be in voluntary liquidation, dissolution, cessation, inactivity of the company de facto or de jure. The ‘enterprise must comply with the provisions of Annex 3, i.e. be in possession of the economic-financial and capital requirements, as well as have prospects for business development and continuity. In addition, the enterprise must be in good standing with respect to its obligations under the regulations on social security and welfare contributions.

ELIGIBLE PROJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS

The following interventions are eligible1:

Line 1- Energy Efficiency Interventions

(a) installation of high-efficiency cogeneration plants as per Annex 2 of Directive 2012/27/EU, qualified CAR by GSE;

(b) interventions aimed at increasing energy efficiency in production processes, directed at reducing the energy impact on the final product, such as to result in significant annual primary energy savings;

(c) interventions aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of buildings in the local unit;

(d) timely replacement of low-efficiency systems and components with higher-efficiency ones;

(e) installation of new production lines (new energy technologies) with high efficiency.

Line 2 – Interventions for the installation of renewable source plants.

Installation of renewable source systems, or part of them, whose renewable energy output is entirely for self-consumption.

All proposed interventions must meet the following general requirements:

• may involve several local units of the same enterprise as long as they are located in Piedmont;
• at the time the application is submitted must not be mandatory for the applicant (e.g., requirements arising from environmental laws, permit orders, etc.) and must not relate to actions necessary to comply with Union standards that have already been adopted, even if not yet in force;
• Must not involve district heating networks;
• must not relate to activities related to exporting to third countries or member states, i.e., aid must not be directly related to the quantities exported, the establishment and operation of a distribution network, or other current expenses related to export activity.

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

The following expenses are eligible for relief:

(a) supply of components necessary for process modification or construction of the high-efficiency building systems or envelopes;

(b) installation and installation of building envelope systems and components and storage systems;

(c) masonry works exclusively in subservience to facilities/machinery being financed; in the case of Line 1.a), the masonry works shall not exceed the limit of 20% of the total expenditure; interventions under Line 1.c) are excepted;

d) for both systems and building envelopes: technical expenses for design (if incurred after the date of submission of the application), construction management, testing (e.g. issuance of building energy performance certificate, certification of systems, etc.). Technical expenses are allowed within the limit of 10% of the total expenses included in the application and in any case not exceeding € 50,000.00.

For non-energy-intensive SMEs, investments of a minimum amount of €50,000.00 and a maximum of €3,000,000.00 are eligible, subject to compliance with the thresholds identified in the applied state aid regulations.

Investments of a minimum amount of €100,000.00 and a maximum amount of €5,000,000.00 are eligible for energy-intensive SMEs and IMs, subject to compliance with the thresholds and aid intensities identified in the applied state aid rules.

AGEVOLATION

The facility can cover up to 100 percent of the costs deemed eligible for investment and is broken down as follows:

• financing equal to at least 80 percent of the value of the project in terms of eligible costs, provided 75 percent from regional funds at zero interest and the remainder (equal to at least 25 percent) from bank funds;
• non-repayable grant, up to a maximum of 20% of the value of the project in terms of eligible costs, with a limit of € 500,000.00 in the case of interventions proposed by energy-intensive G.I. and P.M.I., and € 300,000.00 for the remaining types of enterprises.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Applications can be submitted from March 23, 2020 and until resources are exhausted.