In a new subsidy overview, the 'Initiative EnergieEffizienz-Netzwerke' (Energy Efficiency Networks Campaign) shows which funding programmes businesses can take advantage of to improve their energy efficiency. Businesses can access information at www.effizienznetzwerke.org regarding subsidised measures, the amount of funding and where to apply. Depending on the measures taken and the programme, funds of up to 1.5 million euros can be requested.
New, for example, is the funding programme of the association, ‘Strom-Effizienz-Potentiale nutzen (exploiting electricity efficiency potential) - STEP up!’ It supports electricity efficiency measures in businesses on the basis of a competitive tender. Funds are allocated to the measures with the biggest savings per euro of funding. The funding programme, ‘hocheffiziente Querschnittstechnologien in KMU’ (high-efficiency cross-sector technologies in SMEs) has been relaunched. It now takes more technologies into account and provides increased amounts of funding in some areas. Moreover, the subsidy overview caters for programmes focusing on energy management or heat loss. The ‘LEEN 100 plus’ project, funded through the national climate protection initiative, also provides support for the establishment and implementation of an energy efficiency network.
In addition to the online offer, the initiative organises events with the funding bodies: Partners and network participants receive detailed, first-hand information and can contribute their experiences to existing funding programmes. Katherina Reiche, Chief Executive Officer of the ‘Verband kommunaler Unternehmen (VKU)’, Association of Municipal Companies, and campaign partner, explains, “Participation in an energy efficiency network is worthwhile. For example, the network’s energy consultant can support the business in its funding application. Network partners increase their energy efficiency on average twice as quickly as comparable companies that have not joined a network.”
An energy efficiency network is an alliance of several companies within a region or industry, who work together to increase their energy efficiency. The key element of these networks is a moderated exchange between the participating companies, which increases their expertise and helps them to increase their energy efficiency. In addition, companies in networks set themselves common energy efficiency targets based on their predetermined savings potential. Businesses interested in participating in an energy efficiency network can find information at www.effizienznetzwerke.org or tel. 030 - 66 7777 66.
About the 'Initiative EnergieEffizienz-Netzwerke' (Energy Efficiency Networks Campaign)
The establishment of networks for the reduction of energy consumption in businesses is a measure undertaken by the ‘Nationaler Aktionsplan Energieeffizienz (NAPE)’, National Energy Efficiency Action Plan. As part of the campaign the Federal Government appointed more than 20 associations and organisations from industry to initiate around 500 new energy efficiency networks between them by 2020. The aim of the campaign is to make a contribution towards the attainment of national and international climate protection targets. The campaign office is run by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena), German Energy Agency.
