CLEAN AIR

Clean Air Program is a Polish government initiative aimed at improving air quality in Poland through the modernization of heating sources in single-family houses and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. The program is addressed to owners and co-owners of single-family houses who want to improve air quality by replacing old stoves and boilers with ecological heating sources such as heat pumps, gas boilers, higher-class coal boilers, or photovoltaic installations.

The “Clean Air” Program is an excellent opportunity for single-family house owners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, replace old coal stoves with more ecological solutions, and reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Key steps include submitting an application, selecting appropriate devices and materials, carrying out modernization works, and settling the investment. The program is flexible and tailored to different income groups, offering support for people with various income levels.

Guidelines for the “Clean Air” Program – for beginners

1. Program objective

The “Clean Air” Program aims to:

• Replace outdated coal stoves and boilers with modern heating devices,

• Improve the energy efficiency of buildings through insulation, replacement of windows and doors,

• Reduce emissions of harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.

1. Who is the program for?

The program is addressed to:

• Owners and co-owners of single-family houses, both private individuals and housing communities,

• People whose homes are heated with outdated stoves (“smoke-belching” coal stoves or other non-compliant heat sources).

1. Amount of funding

Funding under the “Clean Air” Program depends on:

• Applicant’s income,

• Scope of modernization of the building (e.g., furnace replacement, insulation, installation of solar collectors, installation of doors, windows, garage doors).

The program is divided into three levels of funding:

1. Basic – for people with medium and higher incomes, up to 50% of funding,

2. Intermediate – for people with incomes below the national average, up to 70% of funding,

3. Highest – for people with low incomes, including the poor, up to 100% of funding.

Basic level (according to the changes in the “Clean Air” Project after 28.11.2024)

• Intended for people with annual incomes up to PLN 150,000.

• Maximum funding amount: PLN 68,000.

• Eligible applicants: Owners and co-owners of single-family houses or separate premises with their own land register.

• Scope: Replacement of old stoves (“smoke-belchers”), installation of new heat sources (e.g., heat pumps), insulation of buildings, installation of solar collectors.

Intermediate level (according to the changes in the “Clean Air” Project after 28.11.2024)

• Intended for people with lower incomes.

• Income criterion: Annual income up to PLN 2,250 per person in a multi-person household or up to PLN 3,150 in a single-person household.

• Maximum funding amount: Up to PLN 95,200.

• Scope: Same as in the basic level, with higher rates of funding for specific investments.

Highest level (for the lowest-income households)
(according to the changes in the “Clean Air” Project after 28.11.2024)

• Intended for households with the lowest incomes.

• Income criterion: Annual income up to PLN 1,170 per person in a multi-person household or up to PLN 1,640 in a single-person household.

• Maximum funding amount: Up to PLN 136,000.

• Scope: Same as in the previous levels, with maximum support for investments.

1. Scope of funding (according to the changes in the “Clean Air” Project after 28.11.2024).

Funding is available for:

a) Below 120 kWh/(m²*year)

• Replacement of stoves and boilers with modern ecological devices (e.g., gas boilers, heat pumps, class 5 or higher coal boilers) along with DHW installation,

• Solar installations – solar collectors for water heating.

b) From 120 kWh to 150 kWh/(m²*year)

• Replacement of stoves and boilers with modern ecological devices (same as above),

• Building insulation – replacement of insulation for walls, ceilings, roofs, windows, and doors,

• Installation of mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery (recuperation),

• Solar installations – solar collectors for water heating.

Condition: Reduce the energy demand for heating to no more than 80 kWh/(m²*year).

c) Above 150 kWh/(m²*year)

• Replacement of stoves and boilers with modern ecological devices (same as above),

• Building insulation,

• Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery,

• Solar installations.
  Condition: Reduce heating energy demand by at least 40% and achieve no more than 120 kWh/(m²*year).

1. Step-by-step: how to apply?

2. Check eligibility: Only for single-family houses (not monuments or under construction), with outdated heating systems.

3. Collect documents: ID, income documents (e.g., PIT), property documents (land register, ownership title, registry extract).

4. Application: Prepared for you, including applicant’s data, house details, planned modernization.

5. Implementation: Our company carries out the modernization after approval.

6. Execution of works: Includes stove replacement, insulation, etc.

7. Verification and settlement: Provide documentation (invoices, photos, protocols). After positive verification, the funding is transferred to the beneficiary’s technical bank account under new rules.

8. Requirements for eligible devices and materials

• Only devices and materials meeting quality standards are funded (e.g., class 5 boilers, heat pumps with required parameters).

• A list of approved devices is available on the program’s website.

1. Project completion time

• The program allows up to 18 months from signing the funding agreement (depending on the scope of works).

1. Documentation and control

• After completion, documents confirming works must be provided (invoices, photos, technical acceptance reports). Control may also be carried out.

1. “Clean Air” Program and other grants

• Can be combined with other government or local programs, e.g., “My Electricity” (Mój Prąd) for photovoltaic installations and energy storage.

Examples:

• PV installation subsidy: PLN 6,000 (with heat storage or energy storage PLN 7,000),

• Energy storage subsidy: PLN 16,000 (up to 50% of cost),

• Heat storage subsidy: PLN 5,000 (capacity not exceeding 20 dm³).

1. Additional options

2. Funding for energy audit and energy performance certificate.

The “Clean Air” Program offers funding for an energy audit of the building. This analysis indicates which modernization measures are most effective and cost-efficient.

Energy audit funding:

• Fully or partially subsidized, must be done by a qualified expert, with costs documented by VAT invoice.

• Funding range: PLN 650 – PLN 1,300 (for all levels).

Benefits: Better planning, higher long-term savings, and meeting program requirements.

1. Integration with tax relief (so-called thermomodernization relief).

The “Clean Air” Program also offers additional tax benefits in the form of thermomodernization relief, allowing taxpayers to deduct eligible energy-efficiency investments.

• Limit: PLN 53,000 per taxpayer (PLN 106,000 for married couples).

• Example: PLN 40,000 investment at 17% tax = PLN 6,800 tax savings; at 32% tax = PLN 12,800 savings.

• Relief applies only to costs not covered by subsidies.

1. Financing with loans and subsidies (via cooperating banks).

The program enables loan financing combined with subsidies through partner banks. Examples: Alior Bank, BNP Paribas, BOŚ, PKO BP, and cooperative banks.

Process:

• Apply for a loan,

• Bank applies for a subsidy,

• The subsidy repays part of the loan depending on the funding level.

1. ZUM Lists in the “Clean Air” Program

a) ZUM List (Green List of Devices and Materials):

• A catalog of products eligible for subsidies (heating devices, building materials, renewable energy systems).

b) ZUM list of operators and contractors (in preparation).

Why ZUM?

• Ensures quality and energy efficiency,

• Standardizes requirements,

• Excludes inefficient devices,

• Helps beneficiaries choose certified products.

Includes:

• Biomass, gas boilers, heat pumps,

• PV and solar collectors,

• Insulation materials,

• Energy-efficient windows and doors.