Posted on : 3/29/2017

The Public Call for financing energy efficiency projects in local self-governments, which the Ministry of Mining and Energy announced in in October 2016 was closed on November 24^th 2016. On the same day, the ten-member commission formed by the Minister of Mining and Energy opened 35 timely submitted project proposals, 16 of which met the Call conditions. The total funds appropriated for funding the energy efficiency projects under the Public Call include grant totalling 0.5 mil USD provided by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) through the UNDP Project “Removing Barriers to Promote and Support Energy Management Systems in Municipalities throughout Serbia” and funds from the Budget Fund for Energy Efficiency in the public sector totalling 25.000.000 mil USD, in accordance with the Programme for Funding of Energy Efficiency Activities and Measures for the year 2016 which is implemented by the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

The Public Call was opened for all units of local self-government, which could apply with only one project proposal. Eligible projects encompass the following energy efficiency measures:

1) Installation of biomass boilers;

2) Improving the HVAC systems in public buildings by means of:

(1)     Replacing heating systems or parts of heating systems by more efficient ones,

(2)     Replacing and installing more efficient air-conditioning systems,

(3)     Installation of heat pumps;

3) Combining measures:

(1)     From item 1) and/or 2) and

(2)     Replacing outer windows and doors and/or improving the existing thermal insulation of walls, roofs, ceilings above open passages, walls and floors on the ground, and other walls next to non-heating spaces (the thermal envelope of public buildings);

4) Installation of solar collectors for heating domestic hot water.

The total amount of funds to be disbursed within this Public Call shall be:

1) Up to RSD 25,000,000 (including VAT), from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia (source of funding 01);

2) Up to USD 500,000 (exempt from VAT), from the UNDP/GEF.

The maximum amount to be disbursed per project shall be:

1) Up to 22% of the total project cost, or maximum up to RSD 2,500,000 from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia (source of funding 01);

2) Up to 50% of the project net cost (exempt from VAT), or up to USD 50,000 from the UNDP/GEF.

The project selection criteria were as follows:

3) Reduction of emissions of CO₂;

4) Type of measure for improvement of energy efficiency according to Section I of the Public Call;

5) Own funds for project financing;

6) Type of public building or public buildings in the same location;

7) Use of funds from the Budget Fund over the three preceding years;

8) Signed Charter of Towns and Municipalities on Energy Efficiency: „Energy Aware and Efficient”.

The following local self-governments have been selected:

Municipality of Velika Plana, application number 401-00-1356/2016-06/14, shall receive grant from Energy Efficiency Budgetary Fund totalling 1.376.368,89 RSD, grant from UNDP/GEF totalling 3.607.650,00 RSD, i.e. up to 32.000,30 USD (UNORE exchange rate: November 2016. 1 $=112,738).

In case of remaining funds after finalisation of public procurement process for the above listed local-self-governments municipalities ranked 14, 15 and 16 will receive funding in accordance with their ranking order.

The grant contracts between the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the selected local self-government units will be signed in April 2017.

The Report of the Evaluation Commission can be downloaded here.