The call for proposals to promote energy efficiency in businesses is the most powerful tool available to Slovak companies in 2026 for reinvesting energy savings into the modernization of their operations using public funds. However, the situation is more complex than the headlines suggest: two distinct programs are running in parallel, each with a different provider, different rules, and a different budget. Anyone who confuses them will prepare their application using the wrong methodology.
This article analyzes both schemes, specifically the allocations, eligible and ineligible activities, the new five-year sustainability period, and the exact procedure for preparation even before the call for proposals is announced. All data is linked to specific documents provided byso that you can verify them.
Note: Calls for proposals are subject to guidelines and changes on an almost continuous basis. Before submitting your application, always download the consolidated version of the call for proposals and the latest update from the provider’s website and from ITMS2021+.
Two Energy Efficiency Support Schemes for Businesses
In Slovakia today, there are two main channels through which a business can obtain a subsidy to reduce its energy consumption. They are not interchangeable.
Program Slovakia: SIEA Call for Proposals on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Businesses
The provider is the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA), acting as the intermediary body for the Slovakia Program. The call has the code PSK-SIEA-008-2025-DV-EFRR and is titled Call for Proposals to Support Energy Efficiency and the Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Businesses.
Position in the program structure:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Priority | 2P1 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization |
| Specific Objective | RSO2.1 Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (ERDF) |
| Specific Objective | RSO2.2 Promoting energy from renewable sources in accordance with Directive (EU) 2018/2001 |
| Measure 2.1.1 | Improving energy efficiency in businesses |
| Measure 2.2.1 | Support for the use of renewable energy sources in businesses based on active electricity consumers, self-consumers of renewable energy, and communities generating renewable energy |
| Form of support | Non-repayable financial contribution (NFP) |
Key feature of this call: it is bi-regional. It has a separate financial allocation for less developed regions (LDRs) and a separate one for more developed regions (MDRs), specifically the Bratislava Region. Funds from one region cannot be used for the other.
Modernization Fund: MoF Call 8/2026 of the Environmental Fund
The second channel is the Environmental Fund (Nevädzová 5, 821 01 Bratislava, ID No. 30796491), which acts as the call organizer and aid administrator. Call MoF 8/2026 is intended for the submission of applications for funding in the form of a grant from the resources of the Modernization Fund.
The difference from the SIEA is not merely administrative. The Modernization Fund is financed from proceeds from emissions trading, not from the ERDF, which results in a different legal framework, different forms, and a different evaluation mechanism (grant application, “ŽoD,” not “ŽoNFP”).
Which scheme to choose: A Six-Point Comparison
| Criterion | SIEA / Slovakia Program | Environmental Fund / Modernization Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Source of Funding | ERDF + State Budget | Modernization Fund |
| Type of Support | Non-repayable financial contribution | Grant |
| Application | Non-repayable financial contribution application via ITMS2021+ | Grant Application (ŽoD) based on call forms |
| Regional breakdown | Yes, MRR and VRR separately | According to the terms of the specific call |
| Legal framework | Act No. 121/2022 Coll. on Contributions from EU Funds | Environmental Fund regulations and grant agreement |
| Multiple submissions | Evaluation rounds with deadlines | Evaluation rounds with deadlines |
Practical conclusion: If you are planning a comprehensive technology upgrade with a significant reduction in energy consumption, review both schemes simultaneously and decide based on which one currently has an open round and available funding.
Regional Allocation Breakdown: Why the Bratislava Region Is in a Different Situation
This is the area where companies waste the most time, because they treat the “call” as a single entity, even though in practice it functions as two independent calls.
Closure of the Call for Less Developed Regions on July 4, 2025
On June 20, 2025, SIEA published a notice regarding the planned closure of the call for less developed regions due to the anticipated exhaustion of the allocation. Subsequently, on July 4, 2025, it actually closed the call for LDRs. After this date, it was no longer possible to submit grant applications for less developed regions.
For more developed regions, however, the call remained open, and applications could still be submitted. A company with its registered office and project location in the Bratislava Region thus had a competitive advantage during that period, one that most companies outside the region were not even aware of.
Increase in Allocation via Amendment No. 4, Effective May 6, 2026
Amendment No. 4 to the call for proposals, effective as of May 6, 2026, introduced the most significant change of the entire cycle: an increase in funding for Measure 2.1.1.
| Indicator (EU source) | Originally | After Amendment No. 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Measure 2.1.1 Total | 42,690,000 € | 56,791,859 € |
| Of which for the MRR | 26,468,463 € | €40,570,322 |
The increase of over 14 million euros is not coincidental. The reason was to meet the demand of applicants who met the conditions for receiving a grant, but whose grant applications were not approved due to a lack of funds pursuant to Section 16(7)(b) of the Act on Grants from Funds. To this end, the provider requested that the Managing Authority amend the Slovakia Program, which allowed for the reallocation of funds within Specific Objective RSO2.1 from Measure 2.1.3 to Measure 2.1.1.
Takeaway: a well-prepared project that doesn’t get rejected simply because the allocation has been exhausted is not a lost project. The history of this call shows that the allocation is increasing and demand is being met retroactively. Therefore, it’s worth seeing the project through to submission even when resources are tight.
Which applications are affected by the changes
Amendment No. 4 applies to all grant applications (ŽoNFP) whose proceedings had not been legally concluded as of the effective date of the amendment, i.e., all grant applications submitted after March 13, 2026. The legal basis is Section 14( 4 through 6 of Act No. 121/2022 Coll.
Similarly, in the Modernization Fund, the guideline takes effect on the date of its publication on the Environmental Fund’s website, and the changes apply to all grant applications received during the first evaluation round. Applicants who submitted their applications earlier are entitled to make changes and additions to their submitted application until the closing date of the first evaluation round. This is important: if you submitted your application earlier and a, you can refine your application without losing your place in the queue.
Eligible Activities: What the Project Will Actually Reimburse You For
Measure 2.1.1: Improving Energy Efficiency in Businesses
Focus of support. These are investments that measurably reduce energy consumption in existing operations: modernization of production technologies with higher efficiency, recovery and utilization of waste heat, lighting upgrades, improvements to compressed air, cooling, and heating distribution systems, energy consumption control and monitoring systems, thermal insulation and technical upgrades to facility buildings.
Measure 2.2.1: Renewable Energy Sources Based on Active Consumers and Self-Consumers
The second strand supports the use of renewable energy sources in businesses based on roles defined by European legislation: active electricity consumer, self-consumer of renewable energy, and unitunit generating energy from RES. The reference regulation is Directive (EU) 2018/2001, including the sustainability criteria set forth therein.
Practical implications: A photovoltaic project or other renewable energy source must be designed primarily for the enterprise’s own consumption, not as a business engaged in electricity generation. This distinction determines eligibility.
Activities F.1 and F.2 in the Modernization Fund
Call MoF 8/2026 covers activities designated as F.1 and F.2, which are subject to a set of common conditions. These include the requirement to quantify outputs using measurable indicators, the requirement to submit an energy audit assessing the current state, and a new sustainability commitment.
What Is Not Eligible: Four Reasons That Will Immediately Disqualify a Project
Guideline No. 8/2026 provides an explicit negative list under the common conditions for activities F.1 and F.2. Aid cannot be provided for:
- The construction, reconstruction, and modernization of combined heat and power (CHP) facilities or centralized heat or cooling supply.
- The installation of energy facilities burning fossil fuels, including natural gas. The wording “including natural gas” is intentional. Gas is not considered a transition fuel under this scheme; replacing an old boiler with a new gas boiler will not receive support.
- Investments made to ensure compliance with Union standards which have been adopted and have entered into force. In other words: what current legislation requires you to do is not an eligible expense. Support is provided for performance beyond these obligations.
- A project with zero target values for mandatory measurable indicators. The applicant is required to set non-zero target values for all mandatory measurable indicators.
The first two points have a direct impact on the proposed technical solution. If your project documentation calls for a gas-fired cogeneration unit, you will not fit within this framework, and the solution must be revised before you invest in project preparation.
An energy audit is a prerequisite, not just an extra attachment
The energy audit forms the technical basis of the entire application, and preparing it is the most time-consuming step in the process.
Requirement for the audit to be up-to-date
The general conditions require that the submitted energy audit assess the current energy performance of the facility or part thereof. The call for proposals specifies this directly: no changes that significantly affect energy consumption or energy efficiency may have occurred since the energy audit was prepared.
In practice, this means that an audit from a period prior to a major technological upgrade is unusable. If you have since replaced a compressor room or production line, the baseline conditions in the audit no longer reflect reality, and the project is no longer applicable.
How to Time Your Audit
Recommended sequence: Prepare the audit so that the baseline reflects the status at the time the application is submitted, and at the same time, ensure you have enough time to prepare the project documentation and budget based on it. An audit prepared “hastily two weeks before the deadline” generally does not include a sufficiently robust calculation of savings for measurable indicators.
Measurable indicators and other data: where the decision on points is made
The project’s outputs and results must be quantified using measurable indicators defined in the annex to the call for proposals. In the SIEA scheme, this refers to Annex No. 4 of the call, “List of Measurable Indicators and Other Data”, which was expanded by Amendment No. 4 to include Table No. 3: Overview of Other Data and the updated data item DPSK033, in accordance with MA Methodological Document No. 10, Version 2.0.
Three rules that apply without exception:
- The target values for all mandatory indicators must be non-zero.
- The values must be verifiable through calculations from an energy audit, not estimates.
- The indicators become contractual obligations, and failure to meet them has financial consequences.
Overestimating savings to achieve a higher score is therefore short-sighted. You are trading a higher score for the risk of penalties during the sustainability period.
New Requirement: 5-Year Project Sustainability Period
Guideline No. 8/2026-1, approved on August 3, 8, 2026 by the Director General of the Environmental Fund, Ing. Marek Giba, MBA, added a new paragraph to the common conditions for Activities F.1 and F.2:
The recipient is required to ensure the sustainability of the project for a sustainability period of 5 years following the financial completion of the project, in accordance with the grant agreement, and to secure funds in its budgets for the operation and maintenance of the implemented project.
What does this mean for the financial plan
This obligation has two separate components, and companies tend to focus only on the first one:
- Keep the project operational and within the declared parameters for 5 years from the project’s financial completion. Not from the final inspection, not from the signing of the contract, but from financial completion.
- Have funds allocated in their own budgets for the operation and maintenance of the implemented project. This is a verifiable obligation, not a declaration.
Practical implication: The project’s financial model must include a five-year forecast of costs for service, inspections, and replacement parts. At the same time, this restricts the sale, lease, or decommissioning of the supported technology during this period.
Further changes to the guidelines
The guidelines have also replaced Annex 4 of the call for proposals, “Evaluation Criteria”, with a new version in order to add missing requirements and clarify the application of the evaluation criteria (minminimum number of points, exclusion criteria). If you have been working with an older version, please recalculate your score, as exclusion criteria have been added.
Appendix No. 1, “Mandatory Forms for Grant Application Attachments”, has also been amended, specifically the form Appendix No. 7, “Overview and Complete Information on Aid Provided”, and the form Appendix No. 8 “Power of Attorney”, which have been replaced with new versions to correct typographical errors and obvious inaccuracies (annex numbers, call for proposals identification). Using the old power of attorney form constitutes an unnecessary formal error.
The DNSH Principle: Do No Significant Harm
Each project must demonstrate compliance with the “Do No Significant Harm” (DNSH) principle. In the SIEA program, this topic is addressed in Appendix No. 9 of the call for proposals, which was updated by Amendment No. 4 in accordance with MA Methodological Guideline No. 7, Version 1.6 and legislative amendments to Act No. 24/2006 Coll. on Environmental Impact Assessment
The DNSH is not merely a formality. The project’s impact on six environmental objectives is assessed, and a justification for each must be included with the application. When replacing technology, the most common stumbling blocks are the management of waste from dismantled equipment and the transition to a circular economy.
How to Prepare for an Upcoming Call for Proposals: Timeline
Energy efficiency calls for proposals are typically opened in evaluation rounds, and deadlines come quickly. Anyone who waits until after the announcement to start preparing documentation will miss the first round.
6 to 4 months before the expected announcement
- Order an energy audit from a qualified professional. This is a critical step in the entire timeline.
- Verify that your project complies with the negative list, meaning it does not involve a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, a district heating system, or a fossil fuel-fired facility.
- Check the status of permits and land-use planning documentation. Amendment No. 4 added to the conditions for approval of the development program and land-use planning documentation pursuant to Section 7( 8 and Section 8(6), or Section 8a(7), of Act No. 539/2008 Coll. a footnote in connection with Act No. 200/2022 Coll. on Spatial Planning.
3 to 2 months prior to the announcement
- Prepare project documentation and a budget based on the audit recommendations.
- Prepare an overview of aid received (cumulation and de minimis) and powers of attorney using the current forms.
- Verify the condition regarding the prohibition on enforcing a decision against the applicant. The description of this condition was clarified by Amendment No. 4, so please assess it according to the latest wording.
- Provide documentation of financial coverage for co-financing and five years of operation.
After the call for proposals is announced
- Download the consolidated version of the call for proposals, including all annexes and guidelines.
- Review the evaluation criteria, including the minimum number of points and exclusion criteria.
- Submission of grant applications takes place via ITMS2021+, and Amendment No. 4 also clarified the method for submitting paper attachments. Verify the submission format for each attachment.
Eight Mistakes That Most Often Cause an Application to Be Rejected
- A technical solution using a gas source. The negative list is unambiguous.
- An outdated energy audit that does not reflect the current state of operations.
- A zero target value for even a single mandatory measurable indicator.
- An investment resulting from a valid EU standard, i.e., an obligation presented as a benefit.
- Outdated versions of annex forms, typically the power of attorney and the overview of aid provided.
- Underestimated DNSH, particularly the management of dismantling waste.
- Missing coverage for operation and maintenance for the five-year sustainability period.
- Submission to the wrong region. MRR and VRR allocations are separate and do not overlap.
Where to follow announcements about the planned call for proposals
Official sources that publish exact dates:
- www.eurofondy.gov.sk, the central portal for EU fund calls, including closure notices.
- portal.itms21.sk, the ITMS2021+ system through which grant applications are submitted.
- The SIEA website, as the intermediate body.
- Website of the Environmental Fund for calls for proposals from the Modernization Fund and for guidelines that take effect on the date of publication.
- Schedule of planned calls for proposals under the Slovakia Program, currently in version 2.0 for 2026 and version 1.0 for 2027.
The call schedule is the best early indicator. It is where planned calls appear before they are formally announced.
Frequently Asked Questions About Energy Efficiency Calls for Proposals for Businesses
Who can apply for energy efficiency support?
Businesses implementing a project aimed at reducing the energy intensity of their operations or at using renewable energy sources for their own consumption. The specific group of eligible applicants (business size, sector according to SK NACE, lengthof business history) is always defined by the specific call for proposals in the terms and conditions for granting the subsidy, so please check the current version.
Does the call for proposals support replacing a gas boiler with a new, more efficient one?
No. Assistance cannot be provided for the installation of energy equipment that burns fossil fuels, including natural gas. Similarly, the construction, reconstruction, and modernization of facilities for combined heat and power generation and centralized heat or cooling supply.
Is an energy audit mandatory?
The submitted energy audit must assess the current energy performance of the facility or a part thereof. Furthermore, no changes that significantly affect energy performance or efficiency may have occurred since the audit was prepared. The audit is therefore a necessary prerequisite as well as a technical basis for calculating the indicators.
How long do I have to keep the project in operation?
According to Guideline No. 8/2026-1, the recipient is required to ensure the sustainability of the project for a period of 5 years from the project’s financial closure in accordance with the grant agreement, and at the same time to secure funding in its budgets for the operation and maintenance of the implemented project.
Why was the SIEA call closed, and is it still possible to submit an application?
Call PSK-SIEA-008-2025-DV-EFRR was closed on July 4, 2025, for less developed regions due to the anticipated exhaustion of the allocation. For more developed regions, it remained open. Always check the current status in the consolidated version of the call, as allocations are subject to change.
Has the call’s allocation increased?
Yes. With Amendment No. 4, effective as of May 6, 2026, the funds for Measure 2.1.1 were increased from €42,690,000 to €56,791,859, and within this measure for less developed regions, from 26,468,463 to 40,570,322. The reason was to meet the demand from applicants who met the conditionsbut whose applications had not been approved due to a lack of funds.
Can I amend an application I’ve already submitted after the call for proposals has been modified?
Under the Modernization Fund scheme, yes: Applicants who submitted their grant applications before the guidelines took effect are authorized to make changes and additions to their submitted applications until the closing date of the first evaluation round. For the SIEA call, Amendment No. 4 applies to all grant applications (ŽoNFP) for which the proceedings have not been legally concluded.
What does the DNSH principle mean, and how do I demonstrate compliance with it?
The “do no significant harm” principle requires demonstrating that the project does not significantly harm the EU’s environmental objectives. The procedure is based on Managing Authority Methodological Guideline No. 7 (version 1.6) and is documented in the annex to the call for proposals dedicated to this principle.
What is the difference between a ŽoNFP and a ŽoD?
ŽoNFP is an application for a non-repayable financial contribution under the Slovakia Program and is submitted via ITMS2021+. ŽoD is an application for a grant from the Modernization Fund, which is accepted by the Environmental Fund using its own forms.
When will the next call for proposals on energy efficiency in businesses be announced?
The provider publishes the exact dates on eurofondy.gov.sk, in ITMS2021+, and on its website. You can find an advance notice in the Schedule of Planned Calls for the Slovakia Program. Since the schedules are updated (2026 in version 2.0, 2027 in version 1.0), always refer to the latest version.
Do I need to have a building permit ready when I submit my application?
Amendment No. 4 clarified additional formal requirements regarding the submission of relevant permits, decisions, and statements for project implementation, as well as project documentation, as part of the cooperation process. Some of the documents are not required until after the NFP contract is signed; therefore, please verify the exact timing for submission in the current version of the call for proposals.
Next step: Find out if your project proposal passes the negative list
Before you invest in an audit and project documentation, do a quick eligibility test: Does your project involve a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, a centralized heat supply system, or a fossil fuel-fired facility? Does the project exceed the scope of applicable EU standards? Can you quantify non-zero energy savings? If the answers are yes, the project has potential, and the next step is an energy audit, as it determines the timeline for the entire preparation process.
