The third session of project submissions under the Aid Scheme for supporting investments in new renewable energy production capacities for self-consumption in the agricultural sector and the food industry will take place between June 15 and August 14, with a total budget of 265 million euros available, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) announced on Tuesday.
According to a press release from the institution, of the total amount allocated to this session, 145 million euros are allocated to projects with installed capacities of up to 1 MW inclusive, and 120 million euros to projects with installed capacities of over 1 MW.
Financing is granted at a rate of 100% for investments in the production of energy from solar sources, within the limit of 650,000 euros/MW for capacities up to 1 MW and 550,000 euros/MW for capacities exceeding 1 MW.
Within the Energy Scheme, applicants can submit multiple projects, if the investments target different production sites, but within the limit of 20 million euros per beneficiary.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and the Agency for Financing Rural Investments (AFIR) launch a new financing opportunity for enterprises in the agricultural and food industry sector that wish to reduce their dependence on energy costs and invest in modern solutions for the production of energy from renewable sources. (…) The applicant guide has been published on the MADR and AFIR websites,” the press release states.
This scheme supports investments in the creation of new solar power generation capacities, with or without storage systems, thus contributing to increasing the competitiveness of agricultural holdings and processing units by reducing energy costs.
“Supporting farmers and processors through measures that contribute to the stability and predictability of their activity is a priority of my mandate at the Ministry of Agriculture. By providing 100% non-reimbursable financing for solar capacities, we offer concrete support for reducing production costs and increasing the competitiveness of the Romanian agri-food sector. I encourage all those interested to take advantage of this financing opportunity. Energy independence and the modernization of Romanian agriculture must continue, and our role is to ensure access to these financial resources as quickly and efficiently as possible”, declared the Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tanczos Barna.
Eligible beneficiaries of the scheme are enterprises in the agricultural or food industry sector, legally established and registered with the National Trade Registry Office, as well as organizations or federations in the field of land improvements.
Applications for funding are submitted exclusively online, through the AFIR portal, the MARD emphasizes.