The Modernisation Fund (MF) is a new means of financing environmentally friendly projects for a period of up to the next ten years. Its aim is to aid countries that are lagging behind the economic performance of developed European countries to increase the use of clean green sources and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases. This will lead to a boost for the climate and the environment, which is the aim of the Green Deal strategy towards a CO2-neutral Europe and the shift away from coal.
Three calls are to be announced in May/June:
• RES+ ‒ projects aimed at installing new non-fuel sources of renewable energy and elements of an active energy economy, such as photovoltaic plants or geothermal energy sources, will be supported.
Applicants may be individuals or legal entities licensed to operate in the energy sector and the renewable energy community.
• HEAT ‒ support will be provided to projects aimed at upgrading or changing the fuel base of sources primarily intended for the supply of thermal energy, the construction of new thermal energy distribution systems, or their renovation, including thermal energy storage facilities. Fuel switching and heat source replacement refers in particular to the switch to renewable energy sources, energy recovery from waste, electricity, or waste heat. The introduction or expansion of combined heat and power (CHP) is also supported.
Applicants may be natural or legal entities licensed by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) to produce thermal energy and/or electricity and to distribute thermal energy.
• ENERG ETS – projects aimed at energy-saving measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industry in the EU ETS (European Emissions Trading System) will be supported. Specific activities include, for example, the modernisation of self-consumption energy production and distribution facilities, the modernisation of production or processing facilities, the implementation of hydrogen applications, the introduction of innovative elements of efficient energy management and the reduction of energy consumption in buildings where production or processing takes place.
Applicants may be natural or legal entities operating installations in the EU ETS on the territory of the Czech Republic.