Canary Islands to Detail Next Gen Energy Grant Justification

The Canary Islands' Ministry for Ecological Transition and Energy, led by Mariano H. Zapata, will hold an information session on Thursday, November 27. This hybrid event, offering both in-person and online attendance, will take place at the headquarters of the Provincial Federation of Metal and New Technologies Entrepreneurs of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Femete) in La Laguna.

The session is designed for businesses and professionals across all economic sectors in the Canary Islands. Its main goal is to explain how to correctly account for grants received from the Next Generation funds.

Organized by Femete's CIDE, the meeting will focus on two key programs:

• Moves III program: This provides grants for buying plug-in and fuel cell vehicles, as well as installing charging points.
• Self-consumption subsidies: These offer financial help for installing solar panels and batteries. Both programs are financed by the Next Generation funds.

Mariano H. Zapata emphasized the importance for all grant recipients to understand how crucial it is to submit their justification documents to receive their payments. He stated that the Ministry and the Canary Islands Energy Offices are increasing their efforts, providing technical staff to offer direct, practical support. This help aims to simplify the process of accounting for and using these European funds, thereby advancing the energy transition in the Canary Islands.

The Minister for Ecological Transition highlighted that nearly 22,000 applications have been approved for the Moves III and Self-Consumption programs. While 30% of these have already received their grants, the remaining applications are still awaiting justification. Zapata stressed how vital it is for this money to reach its recipients. This will help the Canary Islands reduce carbon emissions, transition to sustainable energy, integrate renewable sources into all economic sectors, and move towards a more self-sufficient and resilient energy model.

José González González, Femete's Secretary General, underlined the importance for Canary Islands businesses to have clear and direct information on these procedures. He said Femete highly values its collaboration with the Ministry to promote such sessions. These events allow companies, including small and micro businesses, to resolve doubts and confidently process essential grants for decarbonization. González added that while the sector is committed, it needs tools and support to ensure all projects, from the smallest to the most ambitious, are completed and accounted for correctly.

González also noted that the energy transition creates opportunities for employment, technology, and innovation within the metal and new technologies sector in the Canary Islands. He stressed that this depends on effectively using resources, managing funds well, and supporting companies through this transformation.

Technical support in the justification process

The session will begin with opening remarks from Minister Mariano H. Zapata and Femete's Secretary General, José González. Raquel Moreno, Director of the Energy Transition Projects Unit of the Government of the Canary Islands, will then provide an update on the current status of the Next Generation Fund calls.

Following this, technical staff from Gestur and the Canary Islands Energy Offices will explain the most common requirements for Moves III and Self-Consumption grant justifications. Additionally, the technical team from the Next Generation Funds' Energy Transition Projects Unit will delve into the main steps for properly accounting for grants under the Islands' Sustainable Energy Strategy.

The session will also feature advice from the CIDE Network and Femete's Subsidy Processing Service, led by Olivia Hernández and Noemí Rodríguez, respectively. The event will conclude with a Q&A session, allowing attendees to discuss specific cases, resolve common issues, and present any difficulties they encounter during the application and justification of these grants.

The CIDE Network is an initiative of the Ministry of Universities, Science, Innovation, and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands. It is promoted through the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and the Information Society (ACIISI) and receives 85% co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund, as part of the ERDF Canary Islands Operational Program 2021-2027.

Link to register for the in-person session: https://cutt.ly/YtrU7tdz

Link to follow the session via Zoom: https://cutt.ly/CIDEFemete