New ERDF scheme to support investment in solar energy

Malta Enterprise will announce a new ERDF Solar Energy Grant Scheme, which is co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and has a budget of around €5.5 million, aimed at helping eligible businesses to install solutions that enhance energy efficiency by converting solar energy into clean electrical energy.

This will enable businesses to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels and thus contribute to a cleaner environment. The reduction of energy related expenses would allow for such savings to be redirected to business development.

Successful applciants will be offered a grant per kWp installed, and the PV system should have a minimum size of 20kWp. The value of the grant shall not exceed 50% of the eligible costs of the funded project, up to a maximum of €120,000 per project.

As part of a drive to facilitate the application process, Malta Enterprise recently issued a call for firms that are interested to supply solar solutions to successful applicants. The call has now closed and the submissions are being evaluated.

The list of the pre-selected suppliers, the Application Form as well as the Incentive Guidlines for the scheme - which establish the eligibility criteria and the process to assign the grants - will be published in due course on the Malta Enterprise website, www.maltaenterprise.com/solar.

Only systems approved by Malta Enterprise as a result of this pre-selection exercise will be considered for funding through the scheme. Applicants are strongly advised not to enter into any agreements with suppliers at this stage but to await the issue of the Call and Incentive Guidelines. Malta Enterprise will organise information sessions to provide further details about the ERDF Solar Energy Grant Scheme and assist prospective applicants with their queries.

Further information on the scheme may also be obtained by calling Business First on 144 or via email on [email protected].