The European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the region of Silesia in Poland are working together to support energy efficiency, circular economy, and urban regeneration in the region.
The EIB manages €184 million of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) resources and national contributions on behalf of the Silesia Voivodship for the 2021-2027 programming period.
This holding fund is part of the Multiregional Investment Platform for Poland, a combination of financial instruments to support sustainable growth and the transition to a zero-emission economy. The EIB manages the platform since 2014.
Read more about our shared management funds and financial instruments.
How the Holding Fund Silesia works
We support investments in the following areas:
We provide preferential loans, combined with grants, for projects that promote energy efficiency in buildings, residential or public, and in facilities of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Energy efficiency in buildings
Support is available for thermal modernisation and energy upgrades in buildings with low energy performance. Eligible measures include:
- insulating walls, roofs and thermal bridges
- replacing windows and external doors
- upgrading heating systems and heat sources, including boiler replacement, micro-cogeneration and connection to heating or cooling networks
- installing ventilation and air conditioning systems with heat recovery
- replacing lighting with energy-efficient alternatives
- constructing or upgrading heating and cooling networks
- developing heating network projects in non-efficient systems
- optimising buildings to meet the nearly zero-energy building (nZEB) standard
- complying with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), where applicable.
These measures aim to reduce primary energy demand and support climate goals through sustainable building renovation.
Energy efficiency in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs can receive support for energy modernisation and the installation of renewable energy systems for on-site electricity and heat generation. Eligible projects include:
- upgrading production lines to energy-efficient models,
- replacing lighting with low-energy alternatives,
- installing energy-saving technologies for energy production and use,
- introducing energy management systems,
- upgrading heating systems and reducing heat losses.
Access criteria
To be eligible for support, projects must meet the following requirements:
- Energy audit: The project must be based on an energy audit that defines the scope and provides justification for the proposed measures. Additional elements not included in the audit may be supported, but must not exceed 15% of the total eligible costs.
- Minimum energy efficiency gain: The project must achieve at least 30% improvement in energy efficiency. This requirement does not apply to historic buildings protected by heritage regulations.
- Completion documentation: After implementation, the project must be supported by documentation confirming that the measures outlined in the energy audit have been carried out. Acceptable documents include an ex-post audit, a technical acceptance report or an energy efficiency certificate.
- Environmental compliance: The project must comply with European Union environmental protection standards and regulations. Where applicable, it must also follow the European Commission Recommendation (EU) 2019/786 of 8 May 2019 on the renovation of buildings.
- Building performance compliance: Where relevant, the project must comply with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
Who can apply
Support is available to the following final recipients:
For energy efficiency projects in buildings:
- Local governments, their subordinate bodies and organisational units
- Entities managed by local governments or authorised to carry out mountain rescue
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other non-state entities
- Institutions in science and education
- Healthcare institutions
- Social organisations and religious associations
- Public-private partnerships
- Housing communities, social housing societies (TBS), social housing initiatives (SIMs) and housing cooperatives
For energy efficiency projects in enterprises:
- Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
Projects must be implemented within the territory of the Silesian Voivodeship.
Where to apply
Click on the logo for more information:
We provide preferential loans combined with grants to support renewable energy projects carried out by public entities.
What is eligible
Funding is available for projects that promote renewable energy in line with Directive (EU) 2018/2001. Eligible activities include:
- Building, expanding, purchasing and installing infrastructure for the production and storage of electricity and heat from renewable energy sources. This includes grid connection and energy generation using wind, solar, aerothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal and hydro energy, as well as biomass, biogas, agricultural biogas and bioliquids.
- Expanding existing renewable energy installations with energy storage facilities that serve the needs of the existing source.
- Supporting distributed and prosumer energy, including collective and virtual prosumers, energy clusters and cooperatives. These initiatives help diversify the regional energy mix.
- Using hybrid renewable energy systems and balancing installations that combine two or more energy sources in the production process.
Who can apply
Support is available to public entities – excluding enterprises – that are developing or expanding infrastructure for the production and storage of electricity and heat from renewable sources.
Projects must be implemented within the northern subregion of the Silesian Voivodeship.
Where to apply
Click on the logo for more information:
We provide preferential loans combined with grants to support the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy.
What is eligible
Funding is available to projects that promote circular economy principles. Support focuses on investments that help enterprises introduce new production processes, technologies and products designed to:
- reduce the use of resources and materials in production and logistics,
- prevent and minimise waste generation, and
- lower the environmental footprint of products throughout their lifecycle, from eco-design and circular business models, to efficient waste management systems.
Projects that apply eco-innovation to reduce material and energy flows – and that transform products and production methods to strengthen competitiveness – are also eligible. These initiatives contribute to ecological and green economic growth.
The investment must focus on implementing technology, not on research and development. The goal is to keep products, materials and raw materials in circulation for as long as possible throughout the production chain.
Who can apply
- Support is available to enterprises, including large companies.
We offer preferential loans to support urban regeneration projects.
Urban regeneration aims to improve the physical, economic and social conditions of deprived communities in both urban and rural areas. It focuses primarily on areas affected by the historical presence of heavy industry.
What is eligible
Funding is available for projects that:
- revive socially, economically and environmentally degraded areas by restoring their historical functions or assigning new ones;
- regenerate post-industrial and degraded areas, improve the quality of urban spaces – including city centres and residential areas – and address spatial, social and economic decline.
Examples of eligible investments include:
- converting degraded and unused industrial facilities into housing or cultural spaces, such as galleries, theatres, concert halls, conference centres, coffee shops, bookstores and multimedia libraries,
- creating commercial spaces to enhance project profitability, including office spaces, retail and service facilities,
- regenerating post-military and post-industrial areas for education, leisure, sport, culture or economic activity, including preparing land for business use,
- revitalising old and degraded urban areas that lack access to high-quality services, such as office spaces for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), sports and leisure infrastructure,
- investing in the regeneration of city and town centres, deprived districts and degraded or underused urban infrastructure, particularly buildings of historic or architectural value,
- improving public safety and basic technical and social infrastructure, including projects carried out through public-private partnerships.
Who can apply
Support is available to:
- Local authorities, their unions and associations
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Entities majority-owned by local authorities or their unions and associations
- Organisations acting on behalf of local authorities, selected in accordance with the public procurement law
- Churches and religious associations, including their legal entities
- Public finance sector entities having legal personality
- Housing cooperatives, housing associations, social housing associations
- Entrepreneurs.
About the European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is designed to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union.
ERDF corrects imbalances between regions enabling investments in a smarter, greener, more connected and more social Europe that is closer to its citizens.
