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Families in Kosovo benefit from improved energy efficiency

  • GEFF in Kosovo supports green investments by more than 225 families
  • Over €1.4 million boosts energy efficiency for residents
  • Finance under EBRD Green Economy Financing Facility for Western Balkans

More than 225 families in Kosovo have benefited from support for green investments, provided by a designated EBRD framework in 2018.

These green investments have included measures to improve insulation, replace windows or doors, install new boilers or heat pumps, and many more. As a result, families are enjoying an improvement in their living standards while paying lower energy bills.

The EBRD has supported the investments with more than €1.4 million under its Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF) in Kosovo. The main purpose of GEFF is to help families increase their level of energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions and improve overall comfort. Borrowers under the framework are eligible to receive grants of up to 20 per cent of a loan amount extended by partner financial institutions. In Kosovo these are TEB Banka, Kreditimi Rural i Kosovës (KRK) and Agjencioni për financim në Kosovë (AFK).

Vendors and manufacturers of products or equipment from any of the categories below are welcome to join the Technology Selector, an online shopping platform that lists best-in-class green technologies which improve energy efficiency for the following:

  • thermal insulation of walls, floors or roofs
  • replacement of windows and doors
  • a new boiler, a pellet or a gas stove
  • heat pumps
  • solar panels for hot water
  • photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity
  • lighting
  • ventilation
  • hot water storage tanks.

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

The GEFF programme operates through a network of more than 130 local financial institutions across 26 countries, supported by almost €4 billion of EBRD finance. This has enabled more than 120,000 clients to save a total of almost seven million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

The EBRD began investing in Kosovo in 1999. To date, the Bank has signed 59 projects in the country, with a net cumulative business volume of €342 million.