Switzerland: Solar Thermal System Funding in 5 Polish Regions
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has announced its strategy of how to support the solar thermal sector in Poland. Five Polish regions will receive a total of Swiss Franc (CHF) 55 million, mainly to subsidise solar thermal technology. Small parts of the budget, however, will also be spent on photovoltaic systems. By using their own financial and other resources, all private households and public facilities participating in these projects will have a substantial contribution in the programme’s success . Seco plans to select four more solar thermal projects and provide additional funds of CHF 50 million to set them up.
The supply and installation of the solar thermal systems will be put out to tender by the Executing Agencies responsible for managing the different projects and defining their scope. Offers can be submitted by both national, as well as international companies. The announcements of the first public tenders for solar thermal installations within the Swiss-Polish cooperation are expected at the beginning of 2012. In addition, Executing Agencies can also apply for grants from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW).
The programme’s budget is part of the Swiss Enlargement Contribution, a CHF 1.257 billion fund aiming to reduce economic and social disparities across the extended European Union. Support is given to the twelve states which have joined the EU since 2004. The following lists the five already approved solar projects within the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Program:
Mszana Dolna Region in southeast Poland: Carefully selected public institutions and private households located in six municipalities across the region will receive a grant to set up solar thermal systems. Approved: 14 November 2011, Total funding budget: CHF 9,094,519
Parsęta River Basin in northwest Poland: Supported are the purchase and installation of complete solar systems to generate hot water in 35 public buildings with constant demand, including public schools, nurseries, sports facilities, a swimming pool and several social centres. Combi-systems would have been eligible if the Executing Agencies hadn’t decided otherwise. Eight wind micro-turbine systems will also be subsidised. They serve as back up for a part of the central heating system: the heat pumps. Approved: 8 November 2011, Total funding budget: CHF 10,747,331
Świętokrzyskie Voivodship in southern Poland: In the 10 participating municipalities across the region, the Swiss Enlargement Contribution will support solar hot water systems for public buildings and residential homes. The administrators’ plans also include awareness-raising and training courses , in order to ensure proper use and maintenance of the new renewable energy systems. Approved: 21 October 2011, Total funding budget: CHF 16,845,958
Małopolskie Region in southern Poland: This project offers to fund solar thermal, geothermal and photovoltaic installations in public and private buildings in the four communes Niepołomice, Wieliczka, Skawina and Kłaj. Approved: 2 August 2011, Total funding budget: CHF 14,369,355
Suski district receives funding for a solar hot water system in the regional hospital of Sucha Beskidzka, as well as grants for 2,300 carefully selected residential buildings. Approved: 18 June 2011, Total funding: CHF 4,837,389
More information:
http://www.erweiterungsbeitrag.admin.ch
http://www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/poland/
http://www.programszwajcarski.gov.pl/
http://www.seco-cooperation.ch
Description of approved SECO projects in Poland
