Over the course of two years and two calls, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe received funding to implement measures aimed at reducing their overall energy consumption by at least 5%. As a partner in the initiative, the Renewable Energy Sources Cluster (RES Cluster), together with the organizations of Enterprise Europe Network – Bulgaria, actively supported Bulgarian companies throughout this process.
The EENergy initiative was implemented in cooperation with Enterprise Europe Network, as part of the Network’s sustainability services delivered under the EU Single Market Programme. Grants were provided to SMEs willing to implement measures to reduce their energy consumption and, consequently, their carbon footprint.
Enterprise Europe Network – Bulgaria took an active role in both calls of the initiative. As one of the partners, RES Cluster responded to inquiries from dozens of Bulgarian SMEs seeking to improve their energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. The organization was supported by sustainability consultants from the Bulgarian Network, including experts from the Cluster of Mechatronics and Automation and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Stara Zagora, as well as all other network partners, who provided strong support in promoting the initiative and assisting applicant companies at regional level.
The “green” consultants of Enterprise Europe Network – Bulgaria carried out specialized energy assessments for companies aiming to reduce their energy consumption and developed energy efficiency improvement plans targeting at least a 5% reduction. These plans formed the basis for the application process. The organizations within the Bulgarian Network also supported companies in preparing and submitting their applications.
Within the two calls of the initiative, 102 Bulgarian SMEs submitted applications with the support of Enterprise Europe Network – Bulgaria experts. Of these, 37 companies from various regions and sectors were randomly selected for funding. Bulgaria ranked among the top five countries in terms of the share of funded companies relative to the number of applications, alongside the Czech Republic, Finland, Malta, and Germany.
The funded Bulgarian companies represent businesses from Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Gabrovo, Pleven, Plovdiv, Ruse, Silistra, Sofia, Stara Zagora, Shumen, and other regions, operating in sectors such as trade, services, manufacturing, agriculture, ecotourism, transport, and ICT.
The 100% grant funding, of up to €10,000 per company, was fully invested in measures such as the installation of photovoltaic systems and battery storage, the purchase of energy-efficient equipment, the replacement of outdated machinery, the acquisition of electric vehicles, and more. All Bulgarian companies that completed their projects have already demonstrated at least a 5% reduction in their energy costs and have recovered their investments.
In the “Success Stories” section of the EENergy website, you can watch the video “Code Green: 100-year-old authentic Bulgarian guesthouse now welcoming nature lovers with green energy”, featuring the Bulgarian company Strenia. The article “From Invisible Energy Use to Measurable Impact: STS Invest Holding Goes Solar with EENergy support” presents how the initiative supported STS Invest Holding. The section includes both articles and videos showcasing success stories from across Europe.
About EENergy
The initiative is implemented by an international consortium led by Norddanmarks EU Office (Denmark), with participation from the Renewable Energy Sources Cluster (Bulgaria) and partners from Germany, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, France, and the Czech Republic. The initiative is funded under the EU Single Market Programme.
Across the two EENergy calls, more than 2,500 eligible applications were submitted by companies from over 30 European countries. More than €7.6 million has been distributed to nearly 1,000 European SMEs for:
- Investments to improve energy efficiency;
- Consultancy/audits to identify and implement energy efficiency improvements;
- Training to enhance employees’ skills in energy efficiency.