Source: BUS Sachsen-Anhalt (Linie6Plus)

Apply for a grant for the installation of fuel cell heating systems in residential and non-residential buildings

Description

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) promotes measures to increase energy efficiency in companies.
You can receive funding as a grant of up to EUR 34,300 if you install fuel cell heating systems in your new or existing building. The fuel cell heating systems must meet the following technical requirements:

Power consumption at least P = 0.25 kilowatts electric (kWe)
and
Power consumption maximum P = 5.0 kilowatts electrical (kWe).

No subsidy is granted

for trust constructions (exception: condominium owners' associations),
in the case of so-called in-sec transactions, such as the acquisition from the property of a life partner or asset transfers between companies,
if you have already started with the measure before submitting the application.

The amount of the grant depends on the performance of your fuel cell. The grant is made up of:

the fixed amount (basic subsidy) of EUR 6,800
and
the output-dependent amount (additional subsidy) of EUR 550.00 per 100 watts of electrical output or part thereof.

You can receive a maximum of 40 percent of the eligible costs as a grant.

Eligible costs are:

all costs for the installation of the fuel cell heating system,
the costs for the full maintenance contract in the first ten years,
the cost of the services of an energy efficiency expert.

You will only receive the grant once you have completed your measure. To do this, you must prove

that you have installed the fuel cell heating system,
that your fuel cell heating system meets the technical requirements.

You must keep all invoices and receipts relating to the eligible costs.

Applications for funding are processed by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

You are not entitled to the grant.

Prerequisites

Applications for funding may be submitted by

natural persons
Condominium owners' associations
Freelancers, for example doctors, tax consultants, architects
all companies that install fuel cells in residential buildings, including contractors
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that install fuel cells in non-residential buildings, including contractors:
- SMEs with fewer than 250 employees and annual sales of no more than EUR 50 million
Municipalities, municipal companies and municipal special-purpose associations
Corporations and institutions under public law, e.g. chambers or associations
Non-profit organizations and churches

Further requirements:

the fuel cell must be used for the heat and power supply of your building
an energy efficiency expert must plan and accompany the installation of the fuel cell. This expert must be registered in the expert list for federal funding programmes.
Your fuel cell must meet certain minimum technical requirements:
- power consumption at least P = 0.25 kilowatts electrical (kWe)
  and
- Power consumption maximum P = 5.0 kilowatts electrical (kWe)
Your building must meet the requirements of § 2 of the German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV)
the fuel cell must be installed by a specialist company
you must conclude a contract for full maintenance of the fuel cell for 10 years

Required documents

Online procedure

natural persons who are owners of a one or two-family house
Condominium owners' associations

must submit the following with their application

Confirmation of application (BzA)
for condominium owners' associations: power of attorney to submit an application in the KfW subsidy portal

When you have completed your measure, you must submit the following documents:

Confirmation after implementation (BnD)

Notice:
Your energy efficiency expert will issue the "Confirmation of application" and the "Confirmation after implementation".

Application by mail

Owners of residential buildings with three or more residential units
Freelancers
Companies
Municipal institutions
Corporations and institutions under public law
non-profit organisations

must submit the following with their application

the documents listed in each case in the "Checklist of Application Attachments to be Submitted".

When you have completed your measure, you must submit the following documents:

Confirmation after implementation

Fees (costs)

Not applicable

Deadlines

Application: before the start of the measure
Implementation of the measure: as a rule within 12 months of commitment

Processing time

for processing the application:
- Online procedure:
  - immediately, if the review of your application can be completed directly online.
  - if not, usually within 1 to 7 days
- Application by mail: usually two to three weeks

Notice:
You can start implementing the measure immediately after you have been approved for your grant.

Applications / Forms

Forms: yes (only when applying by post)
Online procedure possible: yes
Written form required: yes
Personal appearance required: no

Remarks:
Online procedure

Natural persons who are owners of a one or two-family house
condominium owners' associations

must submit their application online via the KfW subsidy portal.

Application by post

Owners of residential buildings with three or more residential units
Freelancers
Companies
Municipal institutions
non-profit organisations

must send their application to KfW by post.

Procedure

You can apply for funding either online or in writing by post to the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

Online procedure
As a private owner of a detached or semi-detached house or a member of a homeowners' association, submit the application for funding online in the KfW grant portal on KfW.

Find an energy efficiency expert in your area on the website of the German Energy Agency (dena).
Discuss the planning and monitoring of your measure with the expert. The expert will check the eligibility of your measure and prepare the confirmation of application (BzA). The expert will send you the identification number (ID) of the BZA (BzA-ID).
Submit your application for funding online at the KfW grants portal. To do this, you must first register and provide the following information:
- enter your personal data,
- define password,
- define security query,
- complete registration.
After sending your application, you will receive a reply from KfW within a few seconds.
You can then start implementing your measure immediately.
You must identify yourself in order for KfW to pay you the grant. You have three procedures to choose from for this:
- Post-Ident,
- Video identification or
- SCHUFA identity check.
Follow the instructions on the KfW grant portal to complete the identity check.
When everything is complete, your energy efficiency expert will hand you the Confirmation after Implementation (BnD).
You upload the Confirmation after Implementation (BnD) and all invoices for the measure online in the KfW grant portal.
If all requirements are met, KfW will transfer the grant to your account.

Note:
In the case of a homeowners' association, an authorised representative submits a joint application in the KfW grant portal as an authorised representative. An authorised representative is, for example
the administrator of the homeowners' association or
a co-owner who has been appointed as a representative.

Application by mail
If you are a private owner of residential buildings with three or more residential units, a self-employed person or a representative of a company, municipal institution, public corporation or non-profit organisation, you can apply for funding in writing by post to KfW.

You look for an energy efficiency expert in your area on the website of the German Energy Agency (dena).
You discuss the planning and monitoring of your measure with the expert. The expert will check the eligibility of your measure.
Download the application form from the KfW website and fill it out completely. The energy efficiency expert will confirm the eligibility of your measure on the application form.
Send the completed application form and the required documents by post to KfW. KfW will review your application and decide on the grant.
You will then receive notification by post from KfW as to whether your grant has been approved. You can now start implementing your measure.
Once the measure has been completed, you fill in the form to confirm your measure. Your energy efficiency expert will also confirm on the form that your measure has been implemented as planned.
You send the completed form to KfW by post.
KfW will check your documents and transfer your grant to your account.