Launch of LIFE BE FREE: a unique partnership aimed at stimulating financing solutions for energy efficiency
9 November 2023 - 3 min Reading time
Febelfin, VVSG, Wattson, Embuild, The Shift, and Idea Consult are joining forces to establish a permanent round table on financing energy efficiency and renewable energies. By bringing together private and public actors, the consortium aims to stimulate eco-energetic investments in private homes, SMEs, public buildings, and industry in Belgium.
To achieve the ambitious climate goals for 2030 and 2050, there is a need to significantly accelerate investments in energy efficiency and renewable energies. Innovative financing solutions are necessary to overcome investment barriers. While some solutions have already been tested abroad, they need to be adapted to the Belgian context. Other solutions developed at the local level may need to be deployed on a larger scale to deliver their full potential.
LIFE BE FREE will organize round tables with stakeholders from the quadruple helix (civil society, businesses, knowledge institutions, and public authorities) to systematically identify and address key financing challenges. The distribution of incentives between property owners and tenants, the renovation of residential buildings, financing neighborhood initiatives, and financing through Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) have already been identified as priority challenges. These will be complemented by other relevant topics. The ultimate goal is to mobilize more private investments, implement experiments testing the formulated solutions, and replicate successful experiences on a larger scale.
With the extensive network of LIFE BE FREE partners, we can engage in dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders: public authorities, the financial sector, industry and SME sector, construction companies, property owners, condominium associations (ACP), and consumer and citizen organizations. All these parties will be invited to a first national round table in the first quarter of 2024.
Different political levels in Belgium constitute a specific target group for LIFE BE FREE. To support the implementation of their ambitious climate plans, policy recommendations will also be formulated for local, regional, and national authorities. Our intention is to inform them about relevant financing solutions and help them develop the necessary financial capacity.
The LIFE BE FREE initiative will run until September 2026 and will be financed by the European Commission's LIFE Clean Energy Transition program, which aims to work towards a climate-neutral Europe.
