EU-Wide SME Energy Efficiency Programme Expands Financing and Servitisation Models to Strengthen Competitiveness and Decarbonisation

EU-Wide SME Energy Efficiency Programme Expands Financing and Servitisation Models to Strengthen Competitiveness and Decarbonisatio

(IN BRIEF) The EIB Group’s Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative has delivered €6 billion in financing in its first year, supporting up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe in implementing energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures. Launched with the European Commission and backed by the InvestEU fund, the programme aims to provide €17.5 billion in financing by 2027 to assist up to 350,000 SMEs in lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions. The initiative has introduced new credit lines in multiple EU countries and is supported by the European Investment Fund through venture capital instruments and sustainability guarantees. A key driver of success has been the Green Gateway advisory platform, including the expanded Green Checker tool and dedicated training resources. Partnerships with Eiffel Investment Group and Solas Capital are further advancing energy efficiency as a service models, reducing upfront costs and simplifying adoption of clean technologies. The initiative forms a cornerstone of the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap 2024–2027.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 12-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — European Investment Bank Group has reported strong first-year results for its Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative, the first European Union-wide programme dedicated exclusively to accelerating energy savings in small and medium-sized enterprises.

In 2025 alone, the initiative delivered €6 billion in financing, enabling up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe to implement energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures. With momentum building, the EIB Group is on course to surpass its original objectives. Between 2025 and 2027, it aims to mobilise €17.5 billion in financing to support as many as 350,000 SMEs in lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions.

Launched in cooperation with the European Commission and supported through the InvestEU fund, the initiative was developed with early input from the Solar Impulse Foundation, which contributed insights from its network of more than 1,600 validated clean and efficient solutions.

Expanding access to finance across Europe

During its first year, the initiative rolled out new EIB credit lines to partner banks in the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Spain, broadening the pipeline for SME energy efficiency investments. The European Investment Fund, part of the EIB Group, has complemented these efforts through infrastructure and cleantech venture capital funds, as well as the InvestEU Sustainability Guarantee, supporting the green transition of Europe’s small businesses.

The programme was highlighted at a Green Gateway event in Luxembourg, where more than 200 participants, including financial institutions and key stakeholders, discussed developments in green intermediated financing and advisory services.

Green Gateway advisory platform strengthens impact

A central pillar of the initiative’s early success has been the EIB Group’s Green Gateway advisory platform, developed with backing from the InvestEU Advisory Hub. The platform functions as a comprehensive portal enabling banks and SMEs to identify, assess and report green investment projects.

One of its key components, the revamped Group Green Checker tool, simplifies the evaluation of projects against EIB Group green eligibility criteria. Enhanced measures and expanded green activity categories led to over 30,000 visits in the past year — representing a 43% increase. Additional features include a dedicated eligibility helpdesk, a ten-module e-learning programme tailored to intermediaries and SMEs, and a webinar series designed for partner banks.

Advancing energy efficiency as a service

The Green Gateway event also marked announcements of two partnerships with Eiffel Investment Group and Solas Capital to establish joint financing platforms focused on SME energy efficiency projects. These collaborations aim to expand funding availability and pilot a “servitisation” model, also known as energy efficiency as a service.

Under this approach, SMEs shift from purchasing equipment outright to paying for energy services such as heat or light. The service provider owns and maintains the equipment, eliminating upfront investment requirements. This model reduces financial barriers and operational complexity while delivering measurable savings.

Actively promoted by the Solar Impulse Foundation, servitisation enables SMEs to access advanced energy-saving technologies without capital strain, supporting competitiveness and environmental performance simultaneously. The Foundation has worked with market participants to assess the practicality and financial viability of these service-oriented models.

The Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative is a flagship component of the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap 2024–2027, reinforcing its long-term commitment to sustainable development, economic resilience and enhanced European competitiveness.

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank