The Generalitat de Catalunya is opening two new grant lines managed by ICAEN to finance energy improvements in companies and non-residential buildings.
Last week the Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, Sílvia Paneque, announced that the Institut Català d’Energia (ICAEN) will open two new grant lines on energy saving and efficiency for industry and for tertiary sector buildings, with a total budget of 102 million euros. Govern.cat
For companies, developers and property managers in the tertiary sector, this announcement is a significant window of opportunity to finance investments that would otherwise require a considerable budgetary effort. Below we set out the features of each of the two lines.
Line 1: 65 million euros for energy saving in industry
The first line, with 65 million euros, aims to help manufacturing sectors become more competitive, whether through technological improvement of their industrial processes or the implementation of energy management systems. La Mañana
This is a programme with a proven track record. Two editions of equivalent grants for industry had already been launched in Catalonia, awarding 135 million euros to 973 projects. This third call therefore consolidates an instrument that has proved its effectiveness as a lever for industrial modernisation.
Eligible measures may include, among others:
- Replacement of equipment and machinery with lower energy consumption alternatives.
- Implementation or certification of energy management systems (EnMS) in accordance with ISO 50001.
- Improvement of thermal and electrical energy generation and distribution systems on site.
- Integration of renewable energy into industrial processes.
For companies that already have an energy audit or an operational EnMS in place, the starting position for accessing these grants is particularly favourable.
Line 2: 37 million euros for tertiary sector buildings
The second grant line, with 37 million euros, is aimed at buildings used for commercial, healthcare, administrative, cultural or sports purposes, with the objective of reducing energy consumption by at least 20%. It will be the first call for this line in Catalonia.
The range of potential beneficiaries is broad: shopping centres, private clinics and hospitals, hotels, sports facilities, office buildings, cultural or leisure venues, among others. The minimum 20% reduction in primary energy consumption is an achievable threshold in most buildings with a well-designed action plan, which may combine measures on the envelope (insulation, windows), the heating, cooling and ventilation systems, lighting and photovoltaic self-consumption.
The case of the CAR in Sant Cugat is, precisely, a paradigmatic example: thanks to a series of improvement measures, the facility has obtained a B energy rating, the second most efficient, and at a later stage —with support from the European Next Generation funds— it has achieved a further 30% reduction in energy consumption, thanks to upgrading the heating, cooling and ventilation systems, renovating the roof and installing a 404 kWp photovoltaic self-consumption plant.
The strategic context: Catalonia is moving towards decarbonisation
The announcement of these grants is not an isolated event: it forms part of an energy policy with a clear horizon. The Prospectiva Energètica de Catalunya 2050 (Catalonia 2050 Energy Outlook) foresees that the country must reduce its energy consumption by 30.3% by 2050 while maintaining progress and wellbeing, and current data already indicate that economic growth has been decoupled from energy consumption.
In the words of Minister Paneque, «investment in energy efficiency is, above all, a boost to economic growth, innovation and progress». This message is particularly relevant for industrial companies and operators of tertiary buildings, who find themselves in a context in which competitiveness and sustainability are increasingly linked.
How auma can help
At auma, as consultants and engineers specialising in the environment and energy, we support companies and organisations throughout the whole energy management cycle: from the initial diagnosis to the grant application and its justification.
Our services in this area include:
- Energy audits to identify the improvement opportunities with the highest return on investment.
- Implementation of energy management systems (ISO 50001) to meet the technical requirements of the calls.
- Drafting of projects and technical reports to submit solid applications to ICAEN.
- Monitoring and justification of the measures to secure payment of the grant.
- Advice on combining grants, including the European Next Generation funds and other complementary financing instruments.
If your company or organisation operates in the industrial sector or manages tertiary sector buildings, now is the time to analyse whether you are eligible and which measures would have the greatest impact. Grant calls usually have limited deadlines and require rigorous technical documentation: preparing in advance makes the difference between obtaining the subsidy or not.
Would you like to know whether your project can qualify for these grants? Get in touch with the auma team auma and we will help you identify and apply for the subsidies that fit your project.