A great success for our company - funds from the ELENA fund for the first time in Poland
Po raz pierwszy w Polsce udało się uzyskać unijne pieniądze z instrumentu finansowego ELENA (European Local ENergy Assistance). Beneficjentem pozyskanych środków jest nasza spółka – InnoBaltica. 2,3 mln euro zostanie wykorzystane na pomoc techniczną przy opracowaniu i wdrożeniu tzw. wspólnego biletu na Pomorzu.
Instrument finansowy ELENA został uruchomiony przez Komisję Europejską i Europejski Bank Inwestycyjny już w 2009 roku, jednak dotychczas żadnemu podmiotowi z Polski ani ze wschodniej części Europy nie udało się uzyskać pieniędzy z tego źródła. Jak pokazuje map shows, the list of beneficiaries is relatively short and in our part of Europe almost completely empty.
According to the originators of this financial instrument, ELENA is to accelerate the mobilisation of funds for large investments at the local level. This goal is achieved by providing local or regional authorities or other public institutions with the necessary financial, and optionally also substantive, support for comprehensive investment planning. Indirect beneficiaries of the instrument may also be enterprises implementing tasks of public entities on a concession basis or in the formula of energy services.
Why is it so difficult to obtain funding from ELENA?
- The basic difficulty is that when applying for funds from this financial instrument, you have to think more broadly than just about implementing a single project," explains Sylwia Wymysłowska of InnoBaltica. - The assumption is that ELENA supports actions aimed at cooperation of various entities, which are to result in environmental improvement and energy saving. An additional difficulty is the fact that the application procedure itself is long, requiring multiple contacts with persons reviewing the application, all contacts consist of very detailed explanations of particular elements of the application and are conducted in English (or French).
What will Pomerania get out of this in practice?
InnoBaltica is a company whose main owners are the Pomorskie Voivodeship, the city of Gdansk and the city of Gdynia. The main task it is currently carrying out is the design and implementation of the Platform of Integrated Mobility Services, commonly referred to as the common ticket.
ELENA allows for co-financing of as much as 90% of eligible costs, which include: development of feasibility and market studies, project planning, preparation of business plans, conducting energy audits, preparation of tender procedures and contractual arrangements, etc. The full list also includes other forms of support necessary to develop investment projects. In practice, the money will also be used, among other things, to integrate activities in the creation of a common ticket, a metropolitan bicycle and transport integration hubs.
What is the PZUM system to be developed?
The Platform of Integrated Mobility Services will allow the inhabitants of Pomerania to use one of the most modern systems of paying for travel in Poland. In order to pay for a journey there will be no need to buy a paper form or perform complicated steps in a phone application. InnoBaltica is preparing a programme that will allow passengers to plan their journey and simply go, without worrying about where to buy a ticket, how much to pay for it or what concessions are available. You can find out more about the PZUM project here
