MIG: We are opening the third procedure under the Recovery Plan - for RES and batteries for local energy storage for businesses

"In a few days, the Ministry of Innovation and Growth (MIG) will announce for public discussion the most awaited, third procedure from the Recovery and Sustainability Plan - for RES and batteries for local energy storage with a budget of BGN 200 million." Kalin Marinov, the deputy director of the General Directorate "European Competitiveness Funds" (DG EFK) at the Ministry of Innovation and Growth in the second edition of the program "There is money: The Ministry of Innovation and Growth speaks" on the radio channel "Focus".

According to him, there is an extremely strong interest in the RES measure on the part of small and medium-sized enterprises. This will make them energy independent, and half of the investment will be paid for by the Recovery Plan. The companies will be able to install RES-panels, as well as batteries to store the energy, which will not be returned to the energy system, but will be used by them for production needs, explained Marinov.

"At the moment, the second procedure of the PVU for "ICT solutions and cyber security" for BGN 30.6 million, under which projects are accepted until December 19, is available for application. So far, over 3,000 proposals have been submitted by companies for nearly BGN 60 million," announced Marinov. He added that under this measure, digitization, cyber security measures and information technology will be paid for 100% of the PVA, without the need for co-financing by the companies.

According to him, by the end of the year, the Ministry of Innovation will announce the lists of all the companies that will receive funding under the first open procedure from the PVU - "Technological modernization" with a budget of BGN 260 million for new machines and equipment in small and medium-sized companies. Applications for it were open until the end of September. "Yesterday, the first phase of the evaluation of all 2,537 project proposals was completed. More than 2,000 of them continue to the final phase," announced Marinov. And he emphasized that these will be the first companies in the country that will receive financing from PVU, because only MIR has open procedures for it. The deputy director also said that the application is maximally facilitated, as it is done entirely online in the ISUN 2020 system, without submitting documents on paper.

By the end of the year, a fourth procedure under PVA will be opened - for development activities and intellectual property for BGN 120 million in the previous program period. Now they will get a second chance for financial support," added Marinov.

Regarding the Program "Scientific research, innovation and digitization for intelligent transformation" with a budget of BGN 2.14 billion, Kalin Marinov announced that it is expected to be approved by the European Commission in the coming weeks. "It is new for Bulgaria and will shorten the gap between Bulgarian business and scientific organizations. It will finance digital solutions and scientific developments both in business and in public organizations and will be implemented, apart from MIR, but also by the ministries of education and e-government. Support for Centers of Excellence and Competence Centers in the amount of 142 million euros is foreseen, as well as 70 million euros of funding for digital and innovation hubs in Bulgaria, as well as a voucher scheme worth 25 million euros for the implementation of scientific developments in enterprises," Marinov added.

MIG's program "There's Money" is broadcast on Focus radio every Friday at 3:15 p.m. and explains the application for the Recovery Plan and the new European programs.