Enterprise Europe Network Energy Efficiency Action

The selected consortium will need to select SMEs among the Enterprise Europe Network’s client-base or new clients that can benefit from direct financial support to third parties of up to EUR 10 000 through a dedicated open and transparent call open to eligible companies (cascade funding). The financial support may be used to cover costs such as: specific energy efficiency audits, contribution to the adoption of energy efficient technologies in production lines, and contribution to investments to increase the energy efficiency of company facilities in view of reducing energy demand and consumption.

The project is expected to carry out dedicated activities such as:

• The preparation of open and transparent calls to select the SME recipients of direct financial support;
• The selection of SMEs that will receive direct support in the form of financial support to third parties;
• The provision of accompanying services linked to energy efficiency through the EEN Sustainability Advisors in the region of the recipients, that are additional to the services provided under the EEN Network grant.
• Support for access to complementary sources of funding for energy-efficiency investments, either private or public at European, national or local level;
• The provision of additional services that may be considered as appropriate and complementary to the services already listed above. Ensure a strong operational link with and involvement of members of the Enterprise Europe Network (in particular the sustainability advisers), for example via an advisory board of EEN organisations and/or other methodologies outlined by the applicant
• The project is also expected to generate a number of success stories both from those SMEs developing solutions and those SMEs taking them up.

In line with the objectives of the Commission’s winter energy package of July 2022 and the forthcoming SME Relief package announced in President von der Leyen’s State of the European Union speech, DG GROW proposes a new action to support SMEs with their efforts to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities and production lines. This will help them survive the current pressures from increased energy prices.

This action will increase the long-term sustainability of European SMEs, by reducing their environmental impact and increasing their resilience to current or future energy market crises.

It will also lead to new commercial opportunities for SMEs offering technological or non-technological solutions to energy-efficiency related issues, inter alia by giving these SMEs the possibility to test, commercialise and deploy such innovative solutions, and connect with other SMEs needing their solutions.

This action is compatible with the following specific objectives of the SMP that aim at strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs and achieving additionally at Union level through measures to:

• provide energy efficiency support to SMEs thereby fostering their sustainable growth and resilience;
• facilitate commercialisation and deployment of innovative technologies for energy reduction in the Single Market;
• promote a favourable business environment for SMEs, support their transition to more energy efficient and digital business models and promote new business opportunities for SMEs, especially those offering innovative business models and solutions;
• support the competitiveness and resilience of industrial ecosystems and sectors, particularly the ones that are more energy intensive;
• promote the modernisation of industry, contributing to a green, digital and resilient economy.

This action builds upon successful initiatives taken by the existing and consolidated Enterprise Europe Network and its new Sustainability Advisors, introduced in January 2022.