Quality assurance for the Federal Funding of Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy funding programme
Dr Daniel Vallentin, Energy and System Efficiency in Industry Team Leader, and Oliver Jorzik, Senior Expert for Industry, on on-site inspections as part of the ‘Bundesförderung Energie- und Ressourceneffizienz in der Wirtschaft’.
The Federal Funding of Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy funding programme has developed into a successful funding programme since its introduction in 2019. It supports companies in their investments to reduce greenhouse gases and increase energy efficiency. On-site inspections have recently been launched in funded companies in order to guarantee the quality of the funding. Dr Daniel Vallentin, Energy and System Efficiency in Industry Team Leader, and Oliver Jorzik, Senior Expert for Industry, provide an insight into the project.
€1.2 billion in funding per year
The offers within Federal Funding of Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy funding programme are aimed at a broad target group, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large companies. Around €1.2 billion in funding is distributed to companies as part of the programme each year. The subsidised measures are processed and approved by the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) and the KfW Group. Around 14,000 applications per year demonstrate industry’s considerable interest in the funding programme.
Given these sums, there is great interest in monitoring the quality of the funding. The correct application of the subsidised technical measures is now being assessed on site through the audits for subsidies.
dena was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action to coordinate and manage the audits for subsidies. The site inspections, which have already started to take place, include both the grant and the loan variants of the funding programme. The companies to be audited are selected at random.
The entire spectrum of the German economy
The integrative approach of the funding programme, which covers companies from bakeries to industrial corporations, makes these inspections particularly worthwhile. The funding programme subsidises a wide range of measures across the entire spectrum of the German economy – from simple technology upgrades to complex systemic process optimisations. This openness to technology and diversity are particular strengths of this funding programme, alongside the flexible adaptability of the subsidies for different sectors.
The audits for subsidies are carried out by TÜV Rheinland and DEKRA on behalf of dena using a standardised procedure in all regions of Germany. One hundred companies will be selected for an on-site inspection for the coming year. The number of annual on-site inspections is set to rise to 400 by 2028.
Focus on the further development of the funding programme
Companies have the opportunity to provide their feedback, practical experience and suggestions for improvement during these audits for subsidies. This is vital to adapting the Federal Funding of Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy funding programme to the changing needs of companies. At the same time, the aim is to identify any obstacles to the implementation of these measures. This applies, for example, to integrating further technologies or simplifying application procedures.
By safeguarding the quality of the Federal Funding of Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy funding programme, the audits for subsidies make an important contribution to achieving the climate protection and energy efficiency targets set by the funding programme.
