The context: digitalising public infrastructure as a European priority
The European Union has positioned the digitalisation and energy efficiency of public infrastructure as strategic priorities in its structural and recovery funds policy. Both Spain's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (RTRP) and the ERDF Funds 2021-2027 include specific funding lines for projects that improve the energy efficiency of public buildings, digitalise installations and reduce public-sector energy consumption.
For town halls, county councils, universities and other public bodies, this is a significant opportunity to co-finance projects on building automation (BMS), energy-management systems, telecontrol of water infrastructure and digitalisation of public installations, with co-financing rates that can reach 70-80% of the eligible cost.
Next Generation EU funds — RTRP
Spain's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (RTRP), funded by Next Generation EU, includes several components relevant to automation and public-infrastructure projects:
Component 2 — Building rehabilitation and renovation
This includes the Energy Rehabilitation Programme for Public Administrations (PIREP), which funds energy-efficiency improvement actions in public-administration buildings. Control and automation systems (BMS) are eligible as an improvement measure when they are part of a comprehensive energy-rehabilitation project with demonstrable energy savings above 30%.
Beneficiaries: public administrations (town halls, county councils, autonomous communities, public bodies).
Aid intensity: up to 100% of the eligible cost for local administrations of municipalities under 5,000 inhabitants; up to 80% for the rest.
Component 15 — Digital connectivity and data infrastructure
Funds digitalisation projects on public infrastructure, including the installation of sensors, smart management systems and data platforms on infrastructure of public interest. Telecontrol of water networks, smart streetlighting management and installation automation are eligible under this component.
Component 23 — New territorial projects for rebalancing and equity
Specifically aimed at smaller municipalities and areas at risk of depopulation. It funds improvements to local public services, including modernisation of water, energy and municipal-service infrastructure, where automation plays a key role.
ERDF Funds 2021-2027
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the 2021-2027 period is delivered in Spain through national and regional Operational Programmes. The most relevant policy objectives for automation and infrastructure projects are:
Policy Objective 2 — A greener Europe
Includes energy efficiency in public infrastructure, renewables and smart energy management. BMS systems, consumption monitoring and energy management of public buildings are typically eligible under this objective, which has a significant allocation in most autonomous communities.
Typical ERDF co-financing: 60-70% of the eligible cost in more developed regions; up to 80-85% in less developed and transition regions.
Policy Objective 1 — A smarter Europe
Funds the digitalisation of the economy and public administration. Telecontrol of water infrastructure, automation of municipal services and smart management of public installations fit under this objective.
Regional programmes with ERDF funding
Each autonomous community runs its own ERDF operational programme with specific calls. The most relevant for public-infrastructure automation projects are:
- Valencian Community: IVACE Energía — annual calls for energy-efficiency aid in public-sector buildings and installations. ERDF co-financing of 60-70%. BMS projects and energy-management systems eligible.
- Catalonia: ACCIÓ and ICAEN — energy-efficiency programmes for local administrations. The Catalan Institute of Energy runs municipality-specific calls.
- Basque Country: EVE (Basque Energy Agency) — aid for energy-efficiency projects in municipal buildings, with 40-60% co-financing.
- Andalusia: Andalusian Energy Agency — calls for aid to Andalusian municipalities on energy efficiency in public buildings.
- Madrid: Municipal Financing Fund — funding lines for energy-improvement actions on municipal infrastructure.
Aid Programme for Energy Efficiency Actions in SMEs and Large Industrial Companies
Although mainly aimed at the private sector, some public business entities and bodies with economic activity can access the industry aid calls run by IDAE (Spain's Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving). Automation and process control projects that demonstrate energy savings are eligible.
Which projects are eligible: key criteria
For a public-infrastructure automation project to be eligible for ERDF or Next Generation funding, it generally needs to meet these criteria:
- Quantifiable energy savings: the project must demonstrate a minimum energy saving (typically 20-30% over the baseline) through a prior energy study and verifiable post-project monitoring.
- Additionality: the project couldn't have been carried out, or not in the same timeframe, without European co-financing. Justifying the need for the aid is a formal requirement.
- No double funding: the same expense cannot be funded simultaneously by several European funds.
- Time eligibility: expenses must be incurred within the eligibility period of the call. ERDF 2021-2027 funds are eligible until 31 December 2029.
- Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle: the project must be compatible with European climate objectives and must not cause significant negative environmental impact.
- Transparent public procurement: projects co-financed with European funds must be procured under public-procurement procedures in line with the Spanish LCSP, with the transparency and publicity matching the contract value.
Technical documentation to justify the grant
One of the most critical aspects of managing projects co-financed with European funds is documentary justification. Automation projects must produce and retain:
- Energy audit of the baseline situation, with real consumption per system and building.
- Project technical specification describing the actions, installed equipment and expected results.
- Invoices and proof of payment for every eligible expense.
- Contracts with the executing companies, processed in accordance with the LCSP.
- Verification report of the energy savings achieved, with real consumption data before and after the action.
- Technical documentation of the equipment installed (datasheets, CE certificates, warranties).
BMS systems with historical data logging make this justification much easier: the system's consumption history is the objective evidence of the savings achieved, exportable in the format required by the managing body.
How Bluemation can help you
At Bluemation we support our public-sector customers throughout the whole process: from identifying the most suitable funding line for their project to technical execution and producing the documentation required to justify the grant.
We prepare the prior energy study needed for the application, deliver the project with all the technical documentation required and produce the savings verification report with real data from the installed BMS system.
If you have a public-infrastructure automation project and want to explore the available funding options, contact our team and we'll guide you with no obligation.