Financial injection for SME projects
SMEs planning major investments in energy efficiency can apply for money from the Swiss Climate Foundation until September 1. The foundation has over one million francs available. All industries are addressed.
Replacing heating, cooling systems and machinery often means a major investment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Those who pay attention to energy efficiency when renewing their operations can apply for financial support from the Swiss Climate Foundation. The foundation is accepting applications for large energy-saving projects until September 1. Projects that save more than 666 tons of CO2 or more than 2,000 megawatt hours of electricity over ten years are considered large.
"Most of the large projects we support are in the area of heating and cooling," explains Vincent Eckert, executive director of the foundation. In recent years, the Swiss Climate Foundation has provided financial support to many hotels and retirement homes that have replaced oil heating systems with pellet heating, heat pumps and other sustainable heating systems. Several dairy and cheese factories have switched from fossil fuels to renewable energy in their production. Several companies have replaced their cooling systems or installed cooling with outside air.
Deadline and exceptions
Companies with up to 250 employees count as SMEs. To be eligible for funding from the Swiss Climate Foundation, companies must be based in Switzerland or Liechtenstein and also implement their energy-saving projects there. However, the measures must not yet have been implemented and the investments not yet triggered when the application is submitted. SMEs planning smaller projects do not have to adhere to the September 1 submission deadline.
They can submit their applications quickly and easily online and receive a response from the foundation within a month. In addition to large projects, the September 1 deadline also applies to SMEs that do not save energy themselves but develop climate-friendly products. They can also benefit from the foundation's funding.
"Protect climate. Strengthen SMEs." According to this motto, the Swiss Climate Foundation supports projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that contribute to climate protection. Since its establishment in 2008, the foundation has supported around 1,200 SMEs in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein with CHF 14 million.
More information: http://www.klimastiftung.ch
