New line of support promotes energy efficiency and competitiveness
Economy Minister Manuel Caldeira Cabral said today that the new line of support will “promote energy efficiency in the positive sense” of companies, “increase competitiveness and reduce costs and emissions.”
The Ministry of Economy today launched the energy efficiency line aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the global value of 100 million euros and aims to support industrial companies and the tourism sector.
“This line is what it does is work to promote energy efficiency in the positive sense to companies, give better conditions for them to make investments” in this area, allowing “to increase competitiveness, reduce costs and reduce emissions,” said the minister, margin of launching the line, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Economy, where the Minister of Environment, João Matos Fernandes was also present.
Asked if companies are aware of the need to focus on energy efficiency, Caldeira Cabral said: “I think they are.”
“There are many companies with investments that are paid in two, three years, and that in many cases manage to reduce the energy bill by 20%, 30% not only by reuse of heat, production processes, but also by the introduction of solar panels, self-production, “continued the ruler.
“With this credit line, which has a grace period of two years, companies can” benefit from improved energy efficiency and cost savings, he said, pointing out that the savings generated in companies are expected to outpace what have to pay the banks.
In his speech, during the ceremony, the Minister of the Environment, considered it “interesting” to present today the energy efficiency support line. “the day after the Nobel Prize in economics was attributed to those who explained in an obvious way” the implications that exist between climate change and the economy.
João Matos Fernandes defended the importance of “instruments” to support the industrial and tourism companies that “share them”.
“We are absolutely aware that energy efficiency” is a challenge for companies, which “requires investments”, bet on renewable sources, technologies and innovative processes.
“It is the necessary investment to ensure the sustainability and productivity of companies in the long term,” added the Minister of Environment.
The Minister of Economy stressed the importance of the Nobel Prize for Economics related to environmental issues, pointing out that “more and more environmental resources are scarce and therefore have to be framed in economic equations.”
Caldeira Cabral also pointed out the line announced today shows the work that its protection and the Environment have taken together to promote environmental improvements through incentives and support.
This line will support industrial and tourism companies to develop projects that allow the reduction of energy consumption and the shift from fossil energy sources to renewables.
With a term of validity of two years after its start, the total amount of the line is 100 million euros and the maximum amount of the operation per company can reach two million euros.
