The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union. The Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector Baden-Württemberg supports by means of the ERDF projects that contribute to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, protection of the environment and the sustainable use of resources.
The 2014 – 2020 and 2021 – 2027 ERDF funding periods are at present running concurrently: the old funding period is drawing to a close and funding for the new programme is now starting.
Additional funds are also flowing into Baden-Württemberg’s 2014 – 2020 ERDF programme as part of the EU Commission’s COVID-19 recovery programme (REACT-EU) to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic and support economic recovery in Member States.
The emphasis of the 2014 – 2020 funding period in Baden-Württemberg is on innovation and the energy transition. The Ministry of the Environment is therefore supporting projects in both of these areas with the help of the three funding programmes “Phosphorus Recovery”, “Systematic Climate Change Mitigation” and “Regional Competence Centres Energy Efficiency Network”. For this purpose, 47.3 million euros in ERDF funds and 20.7 million euros in REACT-EU funds, as well as additional funds from the state budget, are available.
Phosphorus recovery
Phosphorus recovery processes have the potential to ensure long-term ecological and economic supplies of phosphorous in Baden-Württemberg. The funding programme therefore supports the (further) development of ready-to-use and economically-viable processes (test plants and large-scale pilot implementation) for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge and sewage sludge ash.
Systematic climate change mitigation
Numerous municipalities, cities and districts as well as business enterprises in Baden-Württemberg are committed to protecting the climate. The Ministry of the Environment is using the funding programme to strengthen the systematic implementation of municipal climate change mitigation projects based on municipalities’ and districts’ existing climate change mitigation concepts or on the European Energy Award (eea). Funding is available for projects that reduce CO2 emissions and enable the implementation of climate-friendly measures.
Systematic climate change mitigation (only in German)
Regional Competence Centres Energy Efficiency Network (“KEFF”)
The Ministry of the Environment supports regional competence centres for energy efficiency in the 12 regions of Baden-Württemberg to enable business enterprises to exploit potential energy savings. The competence centres are intended to provide all business enterprises (in particular small and medium-sized enterprises) with free and independent information about ways of using energy more efficiently, facilitate contact with energy consulting services and help enterprises to integrate into corporate networks and to implement energy efficiency measures.
Regional Competence Centres Energy Efficiency Network (“KEFF”) (only in German)
The 2021 – 2027 funding period further develops the issues addressed in the previous funding period and will contribute to a more innovative and greener Baden-Württemberg. The Ministry of the Environment has therefore set up the new funding programmes “Model region green hydrogen”, “Bioeconomy – Biorefineries for the recovery of raw materials from waste and wastewater” and “Resource efficiency in enterprises”. A total of 53.8 million euros of ERDF funding and additional financing from the state budget is being made available for these programmes.
Model region green hydrogen
The model region green hydrogen programme supports the establishment of a renewables-based hydrogen economy along the entire hydrogen value chain. The programme also aims to examine the associated technological, economic, ecological and social aspects of a hydrogen economy and to increase social acceptance of hydrogen as an energy carrier.
Model region green hydrogen (only in German)
Resource efficiency in enterprises (“KEFF+”)
The Ministry of the Environment is promoting the establishment of regional competence centres for resource efficiency in all 12 regions of Baden-Württemberg (funding module 1) to help business enterprises (in particular small and medium-sized enterprises) to make sustainable and efficient use of natural resources. The competence centres will provide companies, especially in the manufacturing sector, with a neutral point of contact free of charge that provides information and raises awareness on the topic of resource efficiency and resulting CO2 savings. Advisory services will also be funded in the area of resource efficiency (funding module 2).
Resource efficiency in enterprises (“KEFF+”) (only in German)
Bioeconomy – Biorefineries for the recovery of raw materials from waste and wastewater (“Bio-Ab-Cycling”)
The Ministry of the Environment supports by means of this funding programme the construction and implementation of modular biorefineries with environmental technologies and biointelligent solutions accompanied by scientific research. The aim is for biorefineries to use waste and/or wastewater as a source of raw materials and to recover the raw materials contained in them with the help of coordinated technologies. This will enable the efficient and sustainable recycling of raw materials as part of a closed material cycle.