BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.12. The Energy Efficiency
for SMEs initiative, the first European Union-wide program
dedicated to boosting energy savings among small and medium-sized
enterprises, is on track to exceed its targets after a strong first
year of implementation, the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group
said, Trend
reports.


The initiative delivered 6 billion euros in financing in 2025,
enabling up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe to invest in energy
efficiency and decarbonization measures.


Between 2025 and 2027, the EIB Group aims to provide 17.5
billion euros in financing to support as many as 350,000 SMEs in
cutting energy costs and reducing their carbon footprint. The
program was launched last year by the EIB Group in cooperation with
the European Commission and is supported through the InvestEU
fund.


The Solar Impulse Foundation, a non-profit organisation,
contributed during the design phase by drawing on insights from its
network of more than 1,600 innovative and energy-efficient
solutions, the EIB Group said.


In its first year, the initiative included new EIB credit lines
to partner banks in the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Spain to
finance additional SME energy efficiency projects. The European
Investment Fund (EIF), part of the EIB Group, is also supporting
the program through its infrastructure and cleantech venture
capital funds, as well as the InvestEU Sustainability Guarantee
aimed at accelerating the green transition of small businesses.


A key role has been played by the EIB Group’s Green Gateway
advisory platform, developed with support from the European
Commission’s InvestEU Advisory Hub. The platform acts as a one-stop
portal for banks and SMEs to identify, assess and report green
investments.







The initiative also features an upgraded Group Green Checker, a
tool used to assess whether projects meet EIB Group green
eligibility criteria for intermediated financing. Visits to the
Green Checker rose by 43% last year to more than 30,000, following
the introduction of additional green measures and activities. New
features include a dedicated helpdesk, an expanded e-learning
programme with 10 modules tailored to intermediaries and SMEs, and
a new webinar series for partner banks.


At a Green Gateway event, the EIB Group also announced
partnerships with Eiffel Investment Group and Solas Capital to
establish joint financing platforms focused on SME energy
efficiency and to expand available funding.


These investments will pilot so-called “servitisation” models,
under which companies shift from purchasing energy-efficient
equipment to buying targeted energy-saving services. Instead of
owning equipment, SMEs pay for services such as heating or
lighting, while providers own and maintain the assets, reducing
upfront investment costs.


The servitisation approach, also known as energy efficiency as a
service and promoted by the Solar Impulse Foundation, is designed
to help SMEs access cutting-edge green technologies and improve
competitiveness. The foundation has worked with market participants
to test the viability and bankability of such financing models.


The Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative is a flagship action
under the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap 2024–2027, underscoring its
focus on sustainable development, competitiveness and economic
resilience.