EU Launches €3 Million Call for Renewable Energy Communities for SMEs

A new call for nearly €3 million opens today, November 28, launched by Brussels to support the creation of Renewable Energy Communities (REC) by groups of SMEs in the agrifood and retail sectors, aiming to reduce their exposure to energy costs. The resources of the call are specifically intended for consortia that will later publish tenders directly aimed at businesses.

The call for proposals “Agrifood and Retail SMEs – renewable energy communities” is part of the “Competitiveness of Enterprises and SMEs (SMP COSME)” strand of the Single Market Programme (SMP). This European funding program aims to support the single market in reaching its full potential and ensure Europe's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. For the period 2021-2027, the SMP has a budget of €4.2 billion, aimed at increasing the competitiveness of enterprises, particularly SMEs, by providing various forms of support and facilitating their access to markets.

In this context, the call, managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), expresses the Union's desi