Financing renewable thermal energy projects (BIOMCASA, SOLCASA, GEOCASA and GIT programmes)

In 2009, a system was introduced for funding projects for heat production from renewables through energy service companies (ESCOs), with two specific aims: on the one hand to promote the development of this type of company and on the other hand to increase the use of biomass, geothermal and solar energy, guaranteeing the quality of plants and offering products designed for the needs of hot water and air conditioning users in buildings.

These programmes (BIOMCASA, GEOCASA, SOLCASA) have certain limitations with regard to the amount per project and are supplemented by the Major Thermal Installation (GIT) programme which applies to more complex projects and projects with a major volume of investment.

These programmes establish certain technical guarantees when implementing the plants, provide a supply commitment in terms of energy quantity and cost savings to the end-user and deliver promotional information campaigns to sectors involved in developing the project as well as to users.

Due to good results, new notices were republished for the programmes in 2012 and 2013.

As the biomass programme funds were used up, the BIOMCASA II programme was launched with the aim of continuing to facilitate the promotion and funding of thermal biomass projects in buildings.

These programmes make total or partial ficing available to ESCOs that have previously been authorised by the IDAE [Institute for energy diversification and saving] to receive the funding. A number of requirements regarding supply and technical-economic capacity and technical-ficial solvency must be met to obtain this authorisation, that gives a company access to the line of funding, but it also allows it to use the logos of the programme for which it has been authorised and to take part in the promotional activities carried out within that programme.

Data available on December 31, 2015, related to the financing already allocated to projects was as follows:

•Biomcasa EUR 8,000,000;

•Biomcasa II EUR 5,000,000;

•Solcasa EUR 5,000,000;

•Geocasa EUR 3,000,000;

•GIT EUR 17,000,000.

 

For the GIT program, the maximum funding limit per project is 80% of the value of the eligible investment for thermal generation, with an absolute maximum funding limit per individual project of € 3,000,000.

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more