Second application round for energy investment aid under Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan
The aim of the aid scheme is to promote energy investment and energy infrastructure projects that are in line with the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland and that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Finland and support the country’s 2035 carbon neutrality target. Another objective is to reduce the technological and economic risks associated with investments in energy infrastructure and the electrification and decarbonisation of industry.
Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan is the national plan for utilising the funding from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The Plan is part of the Sustainable Growth Programme.
Projects eligible for aid
Applications will be accepted for the following investments under the first pillar of Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan and they must be completed by 30 June 2026:
- Investments in energy infrastructure (P1C1I1)
- Direct electrification and decarbonisation of industrial processes (P1C2I2)
The granting of aid is based on Government Decree 1112/2021.
Funding supports large-scale energy investments
In this application round, only such energy infrastructure projects that have eligible costs of over EUR 5 million will be processed. As regards electrification or decarbonisation of industry, applications may be submitted for projects with eligible costs exceeding EUR 1 million. However, priority will be given to projects where eligible costs exceed EUR 5 million.
The granting of aid will be based on a comparison of applications by investment type. In overall consideration, the impact of investments on the objectives of Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan will be assessed.
Particular attention will be paid to
- impacts on energy and emissions,
- cost-effectiveness,
- feasibility,
- novelty value of the technology included in the projects,
- replicability of a technology or project, and
- other effects of the projects.
Aid may be granted to companies and other entities such as municipalities, and only to projects or parts of projects that would not be launched without the energy aid. The project, or a certain part of the project that will be funded, may not begin before the aid application has been submitted.
Aid will not be granted to housing companies, residential properties or farms, or any projects related to these.
Special eligibility criteria and the “Do No Significant Harm” principle of energy investments under Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan
The supported projects must comply with the technical guidelines of the “Do No Significant Harm” principle (2021/C58/01). Projects cannot include activities specified in the exclusion list of the Annex to the Council Implementing Decision (2021/0317). The projects must comply with European Union and national environmental legislation. More detailed information is available in the application instructions.
The granting and use of aid is also subject to other special conditions and obligations imposed on the beneficiary, which are defined in the Decree and described in more detail in the application instructions.
How to apply
Applications in the second application round must be submitted by 26 May 2023.
Funding applications, which will be submitted via Business Finland’s online services, will be accepted from 15 March 2023.
Funding will be applied via energiatuki application. Under RRF – Suomen kestävän kasvun ohjelma, please select RRF – Energiainvestointituki. A separate RRF support application form and other appendices referred to in the application form and instructions must be attached to the application.
The application form and its appendices must be submitted in Finnish or Swedish. Material other than that requested in the instructions must not be submitted.
Application instructions (in Finnish) (updated 10 March 2023)
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will make aid decisions for projects where the eligible costs exceed EUR 5 million. Meanwhile, Business Finland will make aid decisions for projects related to electrification and decarbonisation of industrial processes where the eligible costs are less than EUR 5 million.
The schedule for aid decisions depends on the number of applications and the need for processing.
Read more about the call for applications
Government Decree on aid for energy investments under Finland’s Recovery and Resilience Plan in 2022–2026 (in Finnish)
Inquiries:
Juho Korteniemi, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 054 (aid programme, energy)
Ossi Paanala, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 310 (project processing)
Salla Palander, Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 049
Email addresses are in the format muotoa [email protected]
