By Vangelis Dourakis

The time is counting down for the start of submitting applications for the new Exochonamo 2025 and one of the questions that every household naturally has is whether it is worth entering the relevant process. Especially since most will need to either use equity or resort to bank borrowing to complete the necessary work. For this, each interested party should take into account some data.

In any case, anyone who wants to join the program will be able to claim an amount of up to 35,000 euros: The “ceiling” of the aid, however, is not for everyone but only for vulnerable groups with very specific characteristics. The general population should calculate that they can secure a subsidy of up to 17,500 euros, as long as the work they do is priced at 35,000 euros, or in other words 50% of any costs required.

Execonomou 2025 subsidies and criteria

Specifically, based on the guide of the program depending on the category the beneficiary falls into, the percentage of the financial support starts from 50%, while in some cases even 100% of the investment cost is covered.

Eligible program costs include:

  • window replacement,
  • installing/upgrading thermal insulation,
  • heating/cooling system upgrade,
  • domestic hot water system using Renewable Energy Sources (RES),
  • other energy saving interventions, such as the installation of a smart management system (smarthome) and energy storage systems (batteries)

The maximum eligible budget of energy upgrade interventions with VAT per beneficiary application cannot exceed:

a) the product of 1.20 euros on the total estimated annual primary energy savings (kWh), as derived from the 1st Energy Performance Certificate,
b) the 35,000 euros

Heating degree days will be used as a criterion for evaluating the energy upgrade proposals submitted to the program and priority will be given to the coldest regions of the country, given their special needs.

As for the beneficiaries who will be subject to “Excoionamo 2025”, covering the participation itself with a loan, it is pointed out that the interest rate of the loan agreement is fixed and subsidized at a rate of 100%.

Example of energy upgrading through Eksogano: The “risks” and the profits

Therefore, taking into account the above data, we will attempt an “exercise” indicatively for the Athens Basin, in order to investigate whether it is beneficial and why someone should enter the Save 2025 program.

Let’s assume that the owner of an “absolutely” energy-intensive apartment of 100 m2 that belongs to the latest energy class H shows interest in joining Execonomou.

This particular person has the possibility through the program to do a complete energy renovation and go up not 3 classes, but 5, in other words to “climb” from Class I to Class B.

The “package” of interventions that will be required for this specific action is estimated to have a total cost of 25,000 euros (thermal facade 60 m2, change of frames 15.4 m2, installation of a 10KW heat pump in place of the oil burner, a 160 lt solar water heater connected to the heat pump in replacement of the electric one, 3 new air conditioners A++) with the energy savings on the other hand reaching up to 65%.

What does this mean practically? The household before the above-mentioned interventions – and with the data of the apartment, which was energy class I – was forced to pay approximately 2,280 euros per year (or 190 euros per month) for electricity and oil.

As long as he joins the Save 2025 and proceeds with the work that upgrades it to class B, he will find that the relevant costs for heating/cooling will be limited to 798 euros (or 66.5 euros per month), in other words, the annual benefit will be 2,280- 798=1,482 euros!

However, in order to carry out the relevant energy upgrading interventions, as mentioned above, almost 25,000 euros will be needed, which is the budget of the project.

Of these, 50% is subsidized, so 12,500 euros will be required for the same participation. If this amount is divided by the 1,482 euros which is calculated to be the annual “profit” in costs from the energy upgrade that will be achieved, the amortization of the same participation will take place in approximately 8.5 years.

If the interested party receives a 6-year interest-free loan, his installment will be 12,500 euros/72, at 174 euros per month.

In any case, each interested party should take into account both the cost of the investment he will make in his home, as well as the future profits that will arise through his energy upgrade, in order to determine how far he can go in order to receive the his final decisions.

However, a general assessment says that as long as his pocket can bear the weight of the same participation in the end he will come out victorious.