Ministry of the Environment has released for public consultation the Funding Guide for investments in renewable energy production capacities, specifically biogas from farm waste. The investment is part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Component C3-Waste Management, and aims to develop infrastructure for managing farm waste and other compostable agricultural waste.

The objective of this investment is the sustainable management of agricultural biowaste, especially from zootechnical activities, by increasing their valorization to reduce nitrate pollution and developing infrastructure for managing farm waste and other compostable agricultural waste.

"In Romania, we will have high-performance solutions for energy production from renewable sources, such as biogas from farm waste. This investment represents significant support for large farms or agricultural cooperatives, enabling them to establish such systems to help reduce energy bills by recycling farm waste. At the same time, we solve the problem of farm waste, which otherwise ends up in fields, as well as the issue of methane emissions," stated Mircea Fechet, Minister of Environment, Waters, and Forests.

The total financial allocation through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan is 20.77 million euros, equivalent to 102.68 million lei. The maximum eligible value for a project is 3.74 million euros, equivalent to 18.48 million lei, excluding VAT. The funding rate provided by the NRRP is 90% of the eligible project costs, excluding VAT, with the remaining minimum 10% representing the beneficiary's own contribution.

The funding will be used to implement at least 5 biogas systems for communities with very large farms (with electrical capacities of at least 300 kWh and heating capacities of at least 300 kWh up to a maximum of 1 MWh electric and 1 MWh thermal).

Types of applicants eligible to submit funding applications include: large farms, agricultural cooperatives, partnerships between them, partnerships between farms/agricultural cooperatives and local authorities, partnerships between farms (regardless of size) and enterprises (other than farms), or partnerships between farms/agricultural cooperatives/local authorities and enterprises.

Reimbursement of expenses for establishing biogas systems covers: land arrangement and provision of necessary utilities within the site; construction organization works; basic investment, consisting of constructions and installations, equipment, machinery, technological and functional equipment (vehicles/machinery purchased under this measure will be equipped with the best available technology in terms of environmental compliance); technological tests and trials; supervision expenses; expenses for patents, licenses, and patents.

Additionally, expenses for information and publicity, in compliance with the provisions of the NRRP visual identity manual, will be reimbursed. The Funding Guide is available here. Communication Department (Photo: Freepik)