Running from 2019 to 2023, Slovakia’s EU-funded Green for Households 2 project follows on from the Green for Households pilot project, which was implemented during 2015-2018, also with EU funding. The second project provides around EUR 48 million of financing for the installation of small renewable-energy devices on residential buildings in all regions of the country, except the Bratislava region. This will reduce environmental burdens and household bills. In parallel, Green for Households 3 covers the same period and has a budget of EUR 45 million.
Green for Households 2: continuing support to make Slovakia’s homes greener
- 29 July 2022
“Thanks to the Green for Households 2 national project, it is not only the successful households who are satisfied, but also the business environment, which has had the opportunity to continue to function even under the pandemic measures.”
Following a successful application, households receive vouchers covering part of the costs of installation, by a registered contractor, of photovoltaic panels for electricity generation, or solar collectors, biomass boilers or heat pumps for heat production. There are plans to fund the installation of wind turbines – subject to legislative amendments.
A household can only receive support for one device of each type. If an applicant obtained financing for a specific type under the pilot project, they cannot get financing for the same type under Green for Households 2 or 3.
Application conditions
All types of device can be financed for single-family homes. For apartment buildings, only solar collectors and biomass boilers are eligible.
To install a device in a single-family home, the applicant must be a natural person and the owner or co-owner of the property. Applications for apartment buildings must be made by associations of apartment owners or owners represented by a building manager.
Ownership or co-ownership by legal entities and location within commercial premises render a building ineligible for support. There are also restrictions related to the use of buildings for economic activity.
Types of device
Electricity generated by photovoltaic panels supplied through Green for Households 2 and that is not consumed by the household, either at the time of production or after storage in an accumulator, is fed into the public grid for free. The output of the device should thus be commensurate with the household’s electricity consumption.
Solar collectors use energy from sunlight to heat water in storage tanks, thereby providing hot water and an extra heat source. Collectors fitted under the project have an average area of around 5 m² – enough to meet the hot water needs of a typical household.
Appropriate for well-insulated houses, heat pumps extract heat from outside of buildings for use in low-temperature heating systems, such as those in floors, walls or ceilings.
Biomass boilers burn pellets, briquettes and wood chips, or convert wood into gas. A condition for support with the fitting of a biomass boiler is that it must replace a coal-fired boiler.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Green for Households 2” is EUR 48 000 000, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 40 800 000 through the “Quality of Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Energy efficient low-carbon economy in all sectors”.