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Families in Bosnia and Herzegovina benefit from improved energy efficiency

  • GEFF in Bosnia supports the investments in green technologies in residential sector
  • More than 1,000 vendors with over 4,000 energy-efficient technologies available on the GEFF on-line catalogue – Technology Selector
  • Finance provided under EBRD €85 million Green Economy Financing Facility for the Western Balkans.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has supported over € 1.1 million worth of green technology investments through Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

GEFF aims to decrease energy consumption in the housing sector, reduce air pollution and improve the comfort of living. Since the launch of the programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina more than 300 families have improved their energy efficiency and reduced energy bills by investing in green technologies through the GEFF program. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina mostly invest in PVC windows and doors, biomass boilers and thermal façade.

The European Union (EU) has provided a grant for users of the GEFF programme in the amount of 15% to 20% of the loan amount through the partnering financial institutions: UniCredit bank Mostar, UniCredit bank Banja Luka, Sparkasse bank and MKF Partner.

The GEFF program has developed the Technology Selector, an on-line catalogue of the pre-approved energy-efficient products such as insulation, windows and doors, boilers, heat pumps, solar collectors/solar water heaters, photovoltaic systems, lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigerators and freezers, storage boilers for hot water. The Technology Selector currently includes over 4,000 energy-efficient products from more than 1,000 different producers and sellers. All producers and sellers of green technologies may add their products to the Technology Selector.

The financing is provided under the EBRD’s  €85 million Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF). The programme is a joint initiative of the EU, bilateral donors and beneficiary countries cooperating under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and is implemented in partnership with the Secretariat of the Energy Community. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance will provide incentives and technical cooperation in support of green technology investments.

Since the beginning of its operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina the EBRD has invested €2.1 billion in almost 150 projects in the country. The Bank focuses on supporting the restructuring and expansion of the local private sector, forging closer links with wider regional markets and promoting a more efficient and sustainable use of energy and resources.