Efficiency program to make cities and communities green and promote the economy

The European Commission has announced financial aid for projects involving renewable energy, clean mobility and energy efficiency. In the realm of the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) program, nearly 100 million euro have been budgeted for 2009 to co-finance non-technological projects in European cities. To counteract climate change, the EU is providing a financial catalyst of 15 million euro to accelerate local investment in buildings and local transportation.

Projects that qualify for subsidies include the renovation of public and private buildings, street lighting, integration of renewable energy sources, regional heating based on cogeneration of heat and power, and decentralized systems. Greater energy efficiency is to be enabled via the integration of renewables and facilitated introduction of electric vehicles in local traffic.

Covenant of mayors for sustainable energy policy

Project financing as well as local stimulation of the economy are intended to contribute to the goal of sustainable energy policy in the EU that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by the year 2020. The co-financing provided and jointly managed by the European Investment Bank and the Commission is available for the 476 European cities and their local authorities that have joined the Covenant of Mayors initiative and thereby committed to a contribution to sustainable energy policy in Europe. From now until 2013 the IEE program has a total budget of 730 million euro.

Source: Pressetext.at