EIB Commits €100 Million Anchor Investment to Eiffel Facility Targeting €1.2 Billion in SME Energy Efficiency Projects Across Europe

EIB Commits €100 Million Anchor Investment to Eiffel Facility Targeting €1.2 Billion in SME Energy Efficiency Projects Across Europe

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank has committed €100 million as an anchor investor in the Eiffel Energy Efficiency Co-Investment Facility managed by Eiffel Investment Group, aiming to mobilise up to €1.2 billion in energy efficiency investments across the EU by 2030. The initiative will provide equity and quasi-equity financing to accelerate the deployment of advanced energy-saving technologies, with most funding targeted at Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. A central feature of the programme is the promotion of energy efficiency as a service, enabling SMEs to access green technologies through service-based models rather than capital-intensive equipment purchases. The E4 Facility supports an Article 9 investment strategy under EU sustainability rules and forms part of the broader EIB Group Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative, which aims to deliver €17.5 billion in financing by 2027. In 2025, the wider initiative already deployed €6 billion, benefiting up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe and strengthening their competitiveness and decarbonisation efforts.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 12-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — European Investment Bank has pledged €100 million to a new energy efficiency investment platform managed by Eiffel Investment Group, reinforcing efforts to cut energy consumption and carbon emissions among European businesses.

The financing will support the Eiffel Energy Efficiency Co-Investment Facility, known as the E4 Facility, which is designed to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by reducing electricity and fuel costs while facilitating the transition to cleaner energy sources. Most of the funding is expected to be directed toward projects in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Acting as an anchor investor, the EIB will provide equity and quasi-equity financing alongside vehicles managed by Eiffel Investment Group. The objective is to mobilise up to €1.2 billion in total investments across the European Union by 2030. The initiative aligns with an Article 9 strategy under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, underscoring its environmental focus.

The E4 Facility is targeting sectors involved in the development, implementation and application of energy efficiency technologies and processes within the low-carbon economy. SMEs, which account for 99% of European businesses and employ around two-thirds of the private workforce, are a central focus of the programme.

A core element of the partnership is the rollout of energy efficiency as a service models. Rather than purchasing equipment outright, companies will be able to procure targeted energy-saving services. This approach enables SMEs and other eligible firms to access advanced green technologies while improving operational efficiency and resilience.

The agreement was formalised at a signing ceremony in Luxembourg, where representatives of the EIB Group and industry stakeholders gathered to discuss developments in green intermediated finance and advisory offerings. The E4 Facility builds on collaboration between the EIB and Eiffel Investment Group dating back to 2017, reflecting a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating Europe’s energy transition.

Part of a broader SME energy efficiency push

The E4 Facility forms part of the wider EIB Group Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative, launched last year with backing from the European Commission. The initiative aims to deploy €17.5 billion in financing between now and 2027 to support up to 350,000 SMEs in lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions through proven energy-saving technologies.

In 2025 alone, the programme delivered €6 billion in financing — double the volume provided in 2024 — enabling up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe to invest in energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures during its first year.

The initiative is also supported by the Solar Impulse Foundation, which promotes the concept of “servitisation,” or energy efficiency as a service — an approach first highlighted at COP29 in 2024.

Background information    

EIB Group  

The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructures, the EIB Group crowds-in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

Photos of the EIB Group’s spokespeople and headquarters, logo files and video B-roll for media use are available here.

About Eiffel Investment Group

Eiffel Investment Group is an independent asset manager with c. €8 billion under management*. Its investor base consists of large institutional investors (insurance companies, mutual insurers, pension funds, banks, family offices, public investors, etc.) as well as retail investors via intermediated distribution.

Thanks to its in-depth financial expertise and recognized industrial know-how, Eiffel Investment Group invests in companies and their assets through a set of complementary strategies covering private debt, energy transition infrastructure (both debt and equity), private equity, and listed markets. A pioneer in energy transition financing, Eiffel Investment Group places impact at the heart of its model. Its strategies aim to generate sustainable financial performance while making a concrete contribution to decarbonization, innovation, and the development of a more resilient economy.

Drawing on experienced teams and a local presence in several key geographies, the group operates from its offices in Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Warsaw, New York, and Abu Dhabi. This international footprint allows it to work closely with the companies and developers it supports.

* as of 31/12/2025, including uncalled commitments.

Media Contact:

Bruno Hoyer
b.hoyer@eib.org
+352 4379 – 83045

Press Office

press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank