Up to 300 euros per year is the estimated benefit for the households by reducing the electricity bill by replacing old energy-intensive appliances with new, more efficient ones, the Minister of Environment and Energy said. Costas Skrekas, officially launching today the “Recycle - Change Appliance” programme.
The application platform opens tomorrow and all households are eligible, regardless of income, for appliances installed in both the main and secondary residence. However, applications will be assessed on the basis of income criteria while vulnerable households will receive an additional premium, large families and single-parent families as well as families with disabled members.
The programme concerns the replacement of air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers. Each citizen can make one application for one dwelling, which means that two spouses can submit two applications. Each application can include 1-3 appliances: up to 2 air conditioners, 1 refrigerator and 1 freezer. The subsidy rate ranges from 30% - 50% and there is a maximum monetary limit. So the subsidies range from 135 - 710 euros depending on income and type of device.
Mr.Skrekas said that those who are not selected among the initial beneficiaries will remain runners-up so that they will have the opportunity to join the next phase if the budget of the programme is increased.
According to the figures announced by Mr:
The programme enables households to reduce up to 40% in electricity consumption. The annual energy savings are estimated to reach 209,000 megawatt-hours, equivalent to the consumption of a city of 100,000 inhabitants. The benefit to the economy from the reduction in fuel imports will reach €40 million and the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions will be 125,000 tonnes.
«Together with the Execonomo programmes and the subsidy of bills, we are building a wall of protection against the explosive increases in energy prices due to the international crisis,» the minister said.
Deputy Minister of Development Yannis Tsakiris announced the announcement of a new recycling action for commercial refrigerators that also belong to the category of energy-intensive appliances. He also underlined the emphasis of the NSRF on the green economy, the environment and climate change and noted that the action will lead to the replacement of 380,000 appliances.
Energy Secretary General Alexandra Sdoukou noted that the programme will have a budget of €150 million. The application platform will be opened gradually, depending on the VAT number of the person concerned and will operate without any supporting documents as the required data will be automatically extracted from taxis. Beneficiaries will receive on their mobile phone an electronic voucher for each device which they can use until 16 September. A prerequisite for the implementation of the action is the recycling of the old device, which will be the responsibility of the retailer. If the dealer does not collect and deliver the old device for recycling, he will not receive the grant. The website of the program allazosyskevi.gov.gr is expected to be opened immediately and during the application period (until July 5) a helpdesk will be open.
Mr. Voutsadakis
