(L-R) Fenn Faber, Director of the Climate Agency; Henri Kox, Minister of Housing; Joëlle Welfring, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development; Claude Turmes, Minister of Energy; Credit: MECDD

On Tuesday 10 May 2022, Luxembourg's Minister for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, Joëlle Welfring, Minister for Energy, Claude Turmes, and Minister for Housing, Henri Kox, presented the new subsidy programme of the Luxembourg State, known as "Klimabonus" (climate bonus), to fight climate change and to accelerate the ecological, energy and social transition.

The ministers also unveiled a new climate agency website, which will help to provide more information on the ecological and energy transition and offer a simulator for state subsidies.

The Klimabonus programme is aimed at making homes more energy efficient, facilitating the choice of emission-free mobility solutions and managing the environment and forests responsibly. This change will be accompanied by measures that particularly support lower-income households. The Klimabonus programme can be divided into five categories:

  • Sustainable mobility (support maintained and extended in duration)
  • Renewable energies (simplified and reinforced aid)
  • Protection of biodiversity (aid maintained as is)
  • Sustainable housing (simplified and reinforced aid)
  • Targeted aid for low-income households

At the press conference, the new Environment Minister Joëlle Welfring, recalled: “Klimabonus is an outstretched hand available to everyone. Citizen aid is one element of our strategy to deal with the climate crisis, but not the only one. The State, municipalities and the private economy will play their part by providing a framework that facilitates the adoption of good habits. It is by acting together that we will emerge from the crisis”.

Highlights of the “Klimabonus Wunnen” programme

The "Klimabonus Wunnen" programme, applicable to projects initiated by the end of 2025, introduces simplified procedures for accessing aid for energy renovation projects that concern a single construction element of the thermal envelope (like a roof or facades). In addition, the promotion of ecological insulation materials is reinforced, and goes hand in hand with the abandonment, from 2024, of subsidies for insulation based on materials of fossil origin.

Klimabonus Wunnen also aims to make alternatives to fossil fuels even more accessible. In particular, the replacement of old boilers based on fossil fuels by a heat pump, a wood-fired boiler or a connection to a heating network is encouraged in return for a bonus for replacing and improving the heating system. Added to this is a new additional specific aid for the neutralisation and recycling of fuel oil tanks.

The new financial aid scheme focuses on heat pumps, with increased amounts and eligibility of air-water heat pumps in existing buildings. Noise emission requirements have been introduced for heat pump elements installed outside the building.

As for wood-fired boilers, the requirements in terms of fine particle emissions have been tightened and aid is now reserved for existing buildings.

With regard to photovoltaic installations, the existing support methods, combining investment aid with remuneration for the electricity produced, are maintained, while an alternative model aimed at promoting self-consumption is also put forward.

The maximum amounts of aid for energy advice are revised upwards

With regard to increased aid, Minister Turmes specified: “In the context of the current energy crisis, now is the time to propose solutions that allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. More than ever, the technical solutions to solve the challenges of the energy transition exist, and with state aid, they are becoming even more accessible”.

The 100% social Topup Klimabonus Wunnen

Beneficiaries of Klimabonus Wunnen aid will be able to apply to the Ministry of Housing for a "100% social Topup" which may result in a doubling of Klimabonus aid, depending on the household income of the beneficiary. This additional aid aims to enable the targeted households to avoid the risk of energy poverty.

Two other measures support owner households in the ecological transition, namely the introduction of an interest subsidy for climate loans and the introduction of a mandatory fund for condominiums.

“These three measures are targeted aid to encourage low-income owner households to embark on the energy renovation of their property. Climate policy is social policy! We will only succeed in the transition together”, said Minister Kox.

Further information

The detailed provisions of the new Klimabonus financial aid scheme, with a simulator of the aid amounts, will be available on www.klimabonus.lu.

The financial aid application forms will be available on www.guichet.lu.

Ministers Welfring and Turmes will present the new Luxembourg State subsidy programme to members of the public at regional conferences during the months of May to July 2022 as follows:

  • 16 May 2022 @ 19:00: Ell, Camille Ney Cultural Centre
  • 30 May 2022 @ 19:00: Berdorf, Cultural Centre “A Schmadds”
  • 13 June 2022 @ 19:00: Schifflange, Polyvalent Hall
  • 20 June 2022 @ 19:00: Schuttrange, Sports Hall 2 – Campus an der Dällt
  • 4 July 2022 @ 19:00: Hosingen Park, Cultural Centre
  • 11 July 2022 @ 19:00: Steinsel, “Norbert Melcher” Leisure Centre