Program Zelená úsporám has already distributed a billion

Prague - The State Environmental Fund (SFŽP) distributed a billion crowns to applicants for grants for insulating homes or changing heating systems in the Green Savings program. The fund also contributes to housing cooperatives. The highest grant reached nearly 29 million crowns, which was allocated to a project for insulating a panel apartment building. Because such large projects require a longer preparation time, the fund's director Petr Štěpánek expects that the pace of drawing grants will accelerate with the involvement of housing cooperatives. In January alone, three cooperatives applied, each project accounting for a grant of over 20 million crowns.
    Štěpánek told reporters today that the expectations of the Ministry of the Environment and the fund are supported by an analysis from the Association of Czech and Moravian Housing Cooperatives. According to it, 1,860 cooperatives are determined to invest over nine billion crowns by 2012, which represents a volume of grants around four billion CZK.
    The program, according to Minister Jan Dusík, fully started five months after the original conditions were changed. At the current pace, he predicts that 16.8 billion crowns will be consumed before the official end of the program, which is expected in 2012. The ministry obtained the funds last year by selling excess emission credits. More sales are planned for this year, but they will not raise as large amounts as last year.
    As of February 15, the fund recorded 6,137 applications in the Green Savings program with a total grant exceeding one billion crowns; these projects will involve investments of 2.33 billion CZK. The majority of support requests come from owners of family houses, with the average support amounting to 42.8 percent of the total investment. So far, 64 panel apartment buildings have applied for contributions, with the average support at 43.9 percent of the total investment. Owners of non-panel apartment buildings submitted 146 project requests, receiving an average of 51.8 percent of the total investment.
    The project that marked the transition of the program into its second billion crowns was submitted to the fund by an owner of a family house from the Šumperk region. By insulating the building envelope with 16 centimeters of insulation, the roof, floors, and replacing windows and doors, they reduced the specific heat consumption by 87 percent. They received 288,200 crowns from the fund, roughly two-fifths of the total investment. The applicant also received support for project development.
    Dusík explains the growing interest in the program by the fact that the fund also contributes to the creation of the insulation project. Under the current conditions, applicants will receive this contribution until the end of March. The minister is negotiating with foreign buyers of credits regarding the standard setting of this form of support in contracts. With minor adjustments, it will be possible to continue contributing to project preparations even after March 31.
    The Green Savings program was launched last April by Minister Martin Bursík, who faced criticism for its premature initiation due to low interest in support. Gradually, the conditions for drawing grants have also been relaxed.