Businesses in Europe to get energy savings boost as EIB commits €100 million to new green project by Eiffel Investment Group

• EIB pledges €100 million for new project by European asset manager Eiffel Investment Group to spur energy savings by businesses in Europe.
• Partnership to finance energy efficiency and decarbonisation initiatives and pilot  energy efficiency as a service models, enabling firms to shift from buying equipment to purchasing targeted energy saving services.
• Most funding to be directed to Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is stepping up support for energy savings by businesses in Europe with a €100 million pledge to a project run by European asset manager Eiffel Investment Group. The EIB commitment is to the Eiffel Energy Efficiency Co-Investment Facility, which aims to bolster the competitiveness and reduce the carbon footprint of small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) by cutting their electricity and fuel costs and switching to green energy sources.  

The EIB is acting as an anchor investor in the project – known as the E4 Facility – and will finance equity and quasi-equity instruments alongside investment vehicles managed by Eiffel Investment Group to accelerate the deployment of advanced energy efficient technologies. The goal is to mobilise a total of €1.2 billion in investments across the European Union by 2030. The project supports an Article 9 investment strategy under the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.

The E4 Facility targets sectors that develop, implement and apply  energy efficiency projects and processes, primarily within the low-carbon economy. SMEs are the backbone of the European economy, representing 99% of businesses and accounting for two-thirds of private sector jobs.

“The need for investment in energy efficiency in Europe is immense and growing,” said EIB Vice‑President Ambroise Fayolle. “Through this initiative, we are developing new markets for energy efficiency as a service and strengthening European businesses’ competitiveness and green transition.”

“Energy efficiency is a very effective way to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of European SMEs while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy”, said Chairman of Eiffel Investment Group Fabrice Dumonteil. “Thanks to the vision and decisive commitment of the European Investment Bank, through the E4 Facility, we will be scaling proven business models that deliver measurable energy efficiency outcomes. This initiative reflects Eiffel’s long-standing commitment to financing the real economy and supporting Europe’s energy transition.”

The partnership will notably finance a model in which firms shift from buying physical equipment to purchasing targeted energy saving services. Called energy efficiency as a service, this approach will enable SMEs and other eligible beneficiaries to access cutting‑edge green technologies and become more sustainable and competitive.

The E4 Facility was inaugurated at a signing ceremony held today in Luxembourg. The event brought together partner banks and other stakeholders to discuss green intermediated financing and advisory products of the EIB Group, which includes the European Investment Fund (EIF).

The E4 Facility builds on previous cooperation between the EIB and Eiffel Investment Group dating back to 2017 aimed at accelerating the green energy transition across Europe. 

Energy Efficiency for SMEs Initiative

The E4 Facility is the latest project under a broader initiative announced last year called the EIB Group Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative. Led by the EIB Group and supported by the European Commission, the initiative seeks to help SMEs using proven energy saving technologies to lower their energy bills and boost their resilience and competitiveness. In the three years through 2027, the EIB Group aims to provide €17.5 billion in financing for up to 350,000 SMEs in Europe to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint.

Another partner supporting the initiative is the Solar Impulse Foundation, a nonprofit organisation championing “servitisation” – energy efficiency as a service, first announced at COP29 in 2024.

The initiative is on track to surpass its targets and delivered €6 billion in financing in 2025, double the amount provided in 2024, enabling up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe to invest in energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects in the programme’s first year.

Background information    

EIB Group   

The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructures, the EIB Group crowds-in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

Photos of the EIB Group's spokespeople and headquarters, logo files and video B-roll for media use are available here.  

About Eiffel Investment Group

Eiffel Investment Group is an independent asset manager with c. €8 billion under management*. Its investor base consists of large institutional investors (insurance companies, mutual insurers, pension funds, banks, family offices, public investors, etc.) as well as retail investors via intermediated distribution.

Thanks to its in-depth financial expertise and recognized industrial know-how, Eiffel Investment Group invests in companies and their assets through a set of complementary strategies covering private debt, energy transition infrastructure (both debt and equity), private equity, and listed markets. A pioneer in energy transition financing, Eiffel Investment Group places impact at the heart of its model. Its strategies aim to generate sustainable financial performance while making a concrete contribution to decarbonization, innovation, and the development of a more resilient economy. 

Drawing on experienced teams and a local presence in several key geographies, the group operates from its offices in Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Warsaw, New York, and Abu Dhabi. This international footprint allows it to work closely with the companies and developers it supports. 

* as of 31/12/2025, including uncalled commitments.