Energy Ministry closes 'Save - Upgrade' residential grant scheme due to high demand

The Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry has officially closed the application process for the 'Save - Upgrade' residential energy efficiency scheme. The closure follows an unprecedented level of interest that led to the exhaustion of both the initial €20 million budget and an additional €7.5 million in funding, which had been secured from savings in previous cycles. According to ministry official Andreas Lizidis, 75% of the original budget was committed within just the first few hours of the program's opening on Wednesday.

While the scheme was announced on May 15, 2026, to allow for public preparation, the volume of applicants exceeded initial projections. The ministry had anticipated that funds would last for several months, similar to previous programs, but the current budget was depleted in less than one day. The ministry implemented a process for waitlisted applicants to ensure full absorption of available funds, but ultimately halted new submissions as per the scheme's terms. Currently, the ministry is proceeding with the evaluation of all applications submitted via the Grant Scheme System (SYSSCHO) based on their chronological order of submission.