Biznes Fakty
Clean Air. Billions for home renovations. „We just got confirmation”
The Ministry has halted the acceptance of applications for the „Clean Air” program. Magda Łucyan/Fakty TVN
The European Investment Bank has granted financing for the Clean Air program amounting to PLN 10 billion, as announced by Paulina Hennig-Kloska, Minister of Climate and Environment, on Friday via Platform X.
„We have just received confirmation that the European Investment Bank has approved financing for the Clean Air program. The new budget totals PLN 10 billion,” the head of the Ministry of Climate and Environment stated on social media.
She further mentioned that funds from the Modernization Fund will facilitate the thermal modernization of residences in Poland and the replacement of heating sources.
Modernization Fund
The EIB needed to authorize the disbursement of funds from the Modernization Fund. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW) filed a request to the bank for financing the Clean Air initiative from this source on February 18.
The minister recently highlighted that these resources will be adequate to freely shape this program over the next year or two.
The Modernization Fund is replenished with proceeds from the sale of 4.5% of the overall pool of CO2 emission allowances under the EU-ETS. The EIB conducts the sale of these allowances in semi-annual tranches. Estimates indicate that Poland might receive around PLN 60 billion from the Modernization Fund during 2021-2030.
Robert Gajda, Deputy head of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, who attended this week’s meeting with local government representatives from the Silesian province, announced that the final details of the new version of the Clean Air program will be revealed on March 22. He also confirmed that the new program will commence on March 31 of this year.
Application Acceptance Suspended
At the end of November 2024, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management ceased accepting new applications for the program, citing the need for reforms and a more stringent system. It was reported at that time that without halting the acceptance of new applications, more individuals could fall victim to scams and financial fraud by unscrupulous contractors. The most concerns were raised regarding the program component that offered the highest subsidy and where pre-financing could be requested.
In December 2024, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management reported that a notification had been submitted to the prosecutor’s office regarding several companies under reasonable suspicion of committing offenses associated with the program. The questionable contracts reportedly amounted to around PLN 600 million.
The decision to temporarily suspend the program was met with criticism from non-governmental organizations focused on combating smog and local government officials. The fund stated that the program in its new form would return on March 31, 2025.
Fund representatives announced that the new iteration of the program would not include subsidies for gas boilers. NFOŚiGW also indicated that the new program aims to prevent the use of energy audits of dubious quality.
Thermal modernization of the PAP/Adam Ziemienowicz building
