We do not stop working on new solutions in the „Clean Air” programme. As we promised, at the beginning of the year we are launching a new part of „Clean Air” for the least wealthy people. But we also face further challenges: adapting the programme to the use of EU funds, reviewing eligible costs, e.g. in terms of placing a greater emphasis on thermal efficiency improvement, which effectively translates into savings with regard to energy efficiency. Soon, residents of multi-family buildings, for whom we are preparing a new nationwide programme, will also have a chance to replace a “smoke-belching stove” with a subsidy.

– says Minister Anna Moskwa.

We are trying to modify the offer of the „Clean Air” programme so that it is available to the largest possible group of people. We meet the needs of the poorest citizens, as we realise that very often it is their houses that require the most urgent support – both in terms of a source of heat and, for example, thermal efficiency improvement

– said the Plenipotentiary of the Prime Minister for the „Clean Air” programme, Bartłomiej Orzeł.

First stage from January 25

Currently, there are two parts applicable in the „Clean Air” programme. The first one – i.e. the basic level of co-financing of up to PLN 30 thousand – for people whose annual income is of up to PLN 100 thousand and the second – an increased level of co-financing of up to PLN 37 thousand – with the average monthly income per capita of up to PLN 1,564 in a multi-person household and up to PLN 2,189 in a single-person farm.

The introduction of the new (third) part of the „Clean Air” programme for beneficiaries eligible for the highest level of co-financing has been divided into two stages.

In the first place – on 25 January 2022 – the call for applications for the third part of the programme will be launched, where even up to PLN 69 thousand of the maximum subsidy with 90% of eligible costs has been provided for. The average income per household member in this case will be up to PLN 900 (multi-person households) or up to PLN 1,260 (single-person households). But an alternative to the income eligibility criterion will also be the established right for an applicant to receive a permanent allowance, a temporary allowance, a family allowance or a special care allowance. The number of tranches of settlements and payments of subsidies for the highest level of co-financing has been increased to five (from three applicable in the remaining parts). The highest level of co-financing will not be available in the banking path, i.e. the Clean Air Loan available in the case of the first and second parts of the programme.

During the call for the third part of the programme, a new annex will apply (No. 2b „Eligible costs and the maximum level of co-financing for Part 3 of the Programme for Beneficiaries eligible for the highest level of co-financing”). This document and the amended programme are already available both on the czystepowietrze.gov.pl website (the „Take co-financing” tab) and on the websites of the individual voivodeship funds for environmental protection and water management.

The solutions for people with the lowest income planned for 2022 are to be expanded. „We are preparing for the second stage of work, including, inter alia, pre-financing of expenses and assistance to applicants in preparing, implementing and settling the projects” - announces the Vice-President of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, Paweł Mirowski.

Simple rules for everyone

Listening carefully to the demands submitted by the voivodeship funds for environmental protection and water management, industry and non-governmental organisations, we also modified some provisions in all parts of the „Clean Air” programme and its annexes.

– explains the Vice-President of NFOŚiGW, Paweł Mirowski.

The most important amendments that will apply – just like the third part of the programme – from 25 January 2022, include, inter alia, taking into account the possibility of financing from the „Clean Air” programme, when the co-financing is combined with municipal umbrella programmes, in which the applicant does not become the owner of a boiler until the end of the project durability period, as well as enabling the longer project implementation, when the delay in settlement results from the postponed date of gas connection by the operator.

In addition, the significant amendments included: allowing dual-fuel boilers gasifying wood and burning wood pellets as consistent with the objectives of the „Clean Air” programme and clarifying the requirements for chimney ducts in the case of solid fuel boilers, for safety reasons.

Śląskie Voivodeship as a leader

So far (14.01.2022), more than 384 thousand applications for PLN 6.45 billion of co-financing have been submitted in the „Clean Air” programme, the majority of them in the Śląskie Voivodeship (more than 64.5 thousand applications for about PLN 885 million). On a nationwide scale, more than 307 thousand agreements for more than PLN 5 billion have been signed.

In the latest ranking of the „Clean Air” programme, the definite winners are the municipalities of the Śląskie Voivodeship – they occupy more than half of the positions in the first hundred of the ranking. The winner in the third quarter of 2021 was the municipality of Godów. It is worth mentioning that, in turn, in the first such (pre-start) list – back then, for the first quarter of 2021 – the highest place on the podium was occupied by another Silesian municipality – Bieruń.

Although our voivodeship is the leader in the „Clean Air” programme, we do not slow down in terms of educating, informing and promoting ecological activities which contribute to liquidating smoke-belching stoves in our region. Since 1 January, an anti-smog resolution has been in force in the Śląskie Voivodeship, which makes us even more determined in cooperating with municipalities. Together, jointly, we reach the unconvinced residents who have not yet made efforts to insulate their houses and replace their smoke-belching stoves. One of such dynamically operating, clean air friendly municipalities in the Śląskie Voivodeship is Bieruń, where we are together with the representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. Here, we discuss and exchange good practices involving the local community in the fight against smog

– summarises the President of WFOŚiGW in Katowice, Tomasz Bednarek.

Milestones

The objective of the „Clean Air” programme – which is supervised by the Ministry of Climate and Environment and implemented by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management together with sixteen voivodeship funds – is to solve the biggest problem regarding smog in Poland, i.e. to replace old stoves and solid fuel boilers and to carry out thermal efficiency improvement of single-family buildings so as to effectively manage energy. PLN 103 billion has been allocated for these measures for the years 2018-2029. The call for applications in the „Clean Air” programme was launched on 19 September 2018.

In May 2020, the programme was subject to a reform which made it easier to apply for subsidies. At that time – in addition to, inter alia, simplification of the subsidy application and shortening the time of processing applications from 90 working days to 30 calendar days – the paths for applying for subsidies via the Internet, on the government portal gov.pl, were also extended. Then, in October 2020, the second part of the programme was launched with a level of co-financing increased to PLN 37 thousand. In turn, in 2021 – as part of the „Clean Air” programme – cooperation was established with more than two thousand municipalities, inter alia, thanks to announcing incentives for local government units with a total value of more than PLN 100 million. In addition, last year, a banking path and three pilot projects for the replacement of sources of heat in multi-family buildings were also launched (Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship, Dolnośląskie Voivodeship with preferences for municipalities bordering on the Czech Republic, municipality of Pszczyna). As from 1 January 2022, the possibility of co-financing the purchase and installation of coal-fired boilers has been withdrawn.