Support for energy efficiency

Support can be provided to:

• Replacement of primary heat source if it is an oil boiler, electric boiler, direct-acting electricity to:
  - Priority 1: district heating
  - Priority 2: rock/earth/sea heat, wood chips, pellets
  - Priority 3: air-water heating, air-air heating.
• Replacement of older lighting with efficient LED lighting.
• Other measures, such as heat exchangers, ventilation units, heat recovery products, additional insulation/construction and solar panels.

To seek support for these energy efficiency measures, you must have been in contact with the municipality's energy and climate advisor who can confirm the benefits of the investment. Here you will find your municipal energy and climate advisor. (Energy and Climate Advisory Service website)

Alternatively, you have carried out an energy survey that describes the need and the effect. Support for energy surveys can be applied for via Consulting. 

1. The company belongs to the category of small and medium-sized enterprises (including groups).
2. The investment concerns the company's permanent workplace in one of the county's municipalities. 
3. The company has at least one full-time employee (with a salary that follows from a collective agreement or equivalent) and conducts full-time operations at the premises.
4. In addition to this, property owners (non-public property owners) can apply for the support if the company/companies renting the premises meet points 1-3.

When you seek support from us, you must be able to demonstrate that you have active sustainability work.

You can do this with the help of Almi Nord and the Sustainability Dialogue - a meeting where you as an entrepreneur have a dialogue with an advisor from Almi to inspire you and your company for continued development/next steps in sustainability.

If you have already participated in the Sustainability Dialogue, you need to submit documentation showing this in your application.

Here you can read more about The sustainability dialogue with Almi and leave your contact details

Support can be provided for up to 40 percent of approved investment costs, with a maximum of SEK 240 in support. The investment cost must be a minimum of SEK 000 and a maximum of SEK 100.

• The company's need for support for its investment
• Finance
• Ownership and size of the company
• Norrbotten Region's budget

• Grocery stores/gas stations
• Companies operating in the agricultural and fisheries sector with the exception of investments for product/service processing
• Predominantly financed by public funds

• The investment cannot be started before the application has been submitted to Region Norrbotten. If the company wishes to start the investment before Region Norrbotten has made a decision, it is done at its own risk. 
• All necessary permits related to the investment must be completed before the investment begins.
• The support is always paid in arrears. Delayed payment times may occur if there are high demands on the Norrbotten Region budget.
• The remaining financing should be in the form of equity from the company, private investors, banks or other financiers.
• Salaries and other employment benefits at the applicant company must be at least equivalent to what follows the applicable collective agreement.
• Quotes must always be attached according to the instructions in the application.
• If preliminary support is granted, the investment must be implemented within 1 year.
• Your application for support may be discussed with your local energy and climate advisor.

You apply digitally via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth's e-service My Application.
Direct link to application for support for energy efficiency

Here you can read more about how to apply for support and payments

When preparing, presenting and deciding on applications for regional business support, a balanced assessment is made based on four selection criteria, all of which are permeated by sustainability and take their starting point in sustainable regional development.

Regulations

Related to regional business support are regulations that set the framework for the legal scope of the support. The national regulations are central when preparing cases concerning regional business support.

• Regulation (2022:1467) on state aid for regional investments
• Regulation (2022:1468) on state aid for regional promotion of enterprises

Through both of these regulations, support, subject to the availability of funds, may be provided with the aim of promoting sustainable growth and increased competitiveness in companies and thereby sustainable regional growth.

Regional business aid may only be granted to activities that are assessed as being able to achieve profitability and sustainable employment and operate on market terms and may be granted primarily to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in accordance with EU definition of SME.

Control document

The second selection criterion is an assessment of whether the support falls within the framework of applicable steering documents. Decisions on support levels and area delimitations are also governing. The overall strategy is the Norrbotten Strategy 2040, which identifies four priority areas of intervention. In order for a company to be granted support, a connection to one of the four priority areas with associated goals and paths forward is required. 

Priority areas of intervention are:

• A life full of possibilities
• A learning and attractive county
• Innovative and competitive
• A closer look at Norrbotten

The assessment will also take into account the Smart Specialization Strategy for Norrbotten and other regional plans, programs and strategies.

Purpose, effects and context

The third selection criterion is about assessing the purpose, context and effects of the investment and whether it contributes to sustainable development.

The application focuses primarily on the needs the company sees. It is the company's responsibility to describe the challenges and needs the company faces, as well as the investments and efforts that need to be made. It is also the company's responsibility to describe the effects the efforts/investment are expected to have in the short and long term.

The region's decision-making space

The fourth selection criterion is an assessment of whether the region's decision-making space is such that the intervention/investment can be granted. If it is assessed that funds cannot be granted or that there are other sources of funding that are more relevant, the case is rejected.