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Transformation plans

Climate neutrality for companies and municipalities

The economy can no longer hide from the climate crisis and is increasingly being held to account. In order to support companies in developing and implementing a sustainability strategy on the way to climate neutrality by 2045, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) has launched the promotion of transformation plans. The creation of transformation plans is not new: they replace the previous so-called transformation concept and bring with them some innovations.

What exactly is hidden behind the term, what needs to be considered for companies and how energy managers accompany you on the way to climate neutrality, you will find out in this article.

Transformationspläne für Unternehmen.

What is a transformation plan?

A transformation plan is a long-term decarbonization strategy of a company or several company locations. The concept includes the collection of data and the creation of a greenhouse gas balance sheet, the formulation of a CO2 reduction target as well as the planning of the measures with which the CO2 target is to be achieved. Transformation plans are eligible for funding under Module 5 of the Federal Fund for Energy and Resource Efficiency in the Economy.

What exactly is eligible for funding?

The BMWK subsidizes:

  • The preparation of a carbon footprint for at least one location of a company or a group of companies with sites within Germany
  • The certification of a carbon footprint for the different sites
  • The consulting costs for energy consulting and other relevant consulting services in the scope of the development of a transformation concept
  • Additional verifiable costs incurred in the scope of the preparation of a transformation concept
  • The costs incurred in the scope of necessary measurements, data procurement, and data collection

The following are not eligible for funding:

  • Services whose implementation is based on a legal obligation or official order
  • Personal contributions by the applicant
  • Actions whose implementation has already begun before the application

What is the funding rate?

  • Large companies: 40 percent
  • Medium-sized companies: 50 percent
  • Small companies: 60 percent
  • Plus 10% each with an IEEKN membership

The maximum funding is limited to 60,000 euros per plan. For companies that are registered in a network of the Initiative Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection Networks (IEEKN) and actively participate in the initiative, the funding rate increases by ten percentage points and the maximum possible grant increases to 90,000 euros.

Minimum requirements

A transformation plan funded by the BMWK includes the following minimum requirements:

  • Actual analysis: Determination of the current state of a company site or several sites including a detailed greenhouse gas balance of Scopes 1 2 according to GHG protocol
  • Target: Commitment to greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 at the latest and definition of a concrete target of at least 40% GHG savings within ten years compared to the actual analysis
  • Action plan: development of targeted measures to achieve the ten-year target. The depth of planning can be based on Phase 2 of the HOAI (pre-planning). At least one of the measures must relate to processes or installations for the production of a product or for the provision of a service
  • Anchoring: Systematic integration and consistent pursuit of climate goals in the company

As part of a transformation plan, further services can be supported. These include the identification and evaluation of problems that cannot be solved from today’s point of view. In addition: the examination of the decoupling and utilization of waste heat potential, the examination of financing and funding possibilities, and the design of measures to adapt to climate change.

Components of a transformation plan

Implementation steps

Current analysis

Analysis of the actual state of the applicant company, including the preparation of a GHG balance sheet

Targeting

Commitment of the company to the goal of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 and the establishment of a concrete GHG reduction target with a time horizon of ten years

instrumentation

Action plan

 Identification and design of measures to achieve at least the 10-year target

anchoring

Presentation of how the climate targets are systematically anchored and consistently pursued in the company

Our services

Would you like to use the current funding environment for your company? As a competent partner, we support you in overcoming the various challenges and accompany you on the path to greenhouse gas neutrality in order to achieve sustainable success together – from the transformation plan to the implementation. This includes:

  • Status analysis and data collection
  • Concept development
  • Feasibility studies
  • Implementation consulting
  • Presentation of results

The implementation of the measures from the transformation plan is in turn supported by other funding pots of the BAFA, such as Module 3 (measurement, control and control technology, sensors and energy management software) or Module 4 (energy and resource-related optimisation of plants and processes).