The “I Save – Upgrade” program, with a total budget of €20 million and grants of up to €32,000. A key requirement is that the improvements made to the home must result in energy savings of at least 60%.
Speaking on the Alpha Enimerosi program, the official from the Ministry of Energy’s Industry Service, Andreas Lizidis, explained that the program applies to existing homes that were first connected to the electricity grid before 2008. Eligible applicants are individuals, and applications may be submitted not only by owners but also by tenants or other individuals authorized by the owner to upgrade the residence. Residences owned or used by legal entities or businesses are excluded from the program.
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A key feature of the program is that it does not simply subsidize a single intervention, but rather a comprehensive energy upgrade. “The energy savings that must be achieved come from the measures to be implemented under this specific application,” said Mr. Lizidis, clarifying that replacing, for example, just one solar water heater or one heating system is not sufficient on its own. The applicant must, with the help of a qualified expert, select a combination of measures that will ensure energy savings of at least 60%.
Eligible investments include, among others, wall and ceiling insulation, replacement of window frames, shading systems, solar water heaters, air conditioners, heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, and batteries, as well as the services of a qualified expert. The expert must issue an Energy Performance Certificate prior to the renovation and subsequently certify that the required energy-saving target has been achieved.
The maximum grant amounts to €24,000 for Type B, which is the basic category of the program, while it can rise to €32,000 in Category A, provided the residence is upgraded to a nearly zero-energy consumption level. As Mr. Lizidis explained, in the latter case, a virtually complete energy retrofit of the building envelope is required, including thermal insulation, window frames, and, where necessary, an upgrade of the heating and cooling systems.
At the same time, approximately 600 applications from previous programs are still in the payment process. According to Mr. Lizidis, payments for applications that have already been submitted as ready for payment are expected to proceed through the end of 2026 and into early 2027, while the new €20 million call for proposals is not expected to affect the relevant timeline. For vulnerable consumers, homes in refugee settlements, and homes in mountainous areas, a 20% increase in subsidies is also planned.
