The PINE Tool is an auditing approach that focuses on modelling the energy consumption of an SME using a simple MS Excel sheet. The tool lists energy consuming equipment with key characteristics, analyses the distribution of energy consumption and helps to identify energy efficiency options. It divides processes into unit operations and attributes annual consumption to these units, from measurements or by calculation.

Promoting Resource Efficiency in Small and Medium Enterprises (PRE SME) is a user-friendly toolkit developed by UNEP and UNIDO. Intended for CEOs, operations managers, and cleaner production service providers, the tool (Resource Kit and Industrial Training Handbook) provides information about cleaner, resource-efficient production by resource category (water, energy, chemicals, wastes and materials), and various techniques to achieve it.

Resources include:

Green Enterprise challenges organisations and companies to produce goods and provide services in more environmentally friendly ways, and to minimise emissions through cleaner production methods. The objective is to achieve a balance between economic and social activity and environmental protection.

A call for proposals is usually made in the late spring, which is advertised in the Irish Times and on the Environmental Protection Agency website. Applicants are usually notified in the early autumn if they have been successful or not.

Annual budget: € 500,000+

The Regional Operational Programme (ROP) aims at promoting smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in all regions in Romania, making them more attractive places in which to live and work. The programme addresses the major development challenges for Romania: regional competitiveness, sustainable urban development, the low-carbon economy, and economic and social infrastructure at regional and local levels.

The programme focuses on the following funding priorites:

The main objective of the programme is to increase the capacity of Romania's national research, development and innovation (RDI) system in order to support economic competitiveness and business development.

The programme focuses on two main priorities:
• RDI supporting economic competitiveness and business development (total budget € 952.57 million)
• Information and communication technologies (ICT) for a competitive digital economy (total budget € 630.2 million)

The self-assessment guide is developed by the Social and Environmental Responsibility Centre under UNIDO’s programme for the Sustainable Development of Enterprises in Bulgaria, with focus on enhancing local expertise in cleaner production, environmentally sound technologies, and corporate social responsibility in tourism, in particular the accommodation sector. Practical checklists and tips help owners, managers and staff improve the property's resource efficiency.

Support under this programme seeks complementary actions to achieve Bulgaria's regional and urban development policy's objectives to tackle imbalances in the country.

Budget allocation: € 1 543 182 113 (2014-2020)

Funding priorities

39 urban centres (Level I, II and III cities) in Bulgaria are the main target group of the programme; the latter focuses on eight priority axes:

SMEs are the main target group of this Operational Programme (2014-2020). The programme's strategy, as a part of the implementation of the EU structural and investment funds (ESIF) in Bulgaria, is closely related to the EU objectives for growth and jobs, and Bulgaria‘s contribution to 'Europe 2020' targets.

Budget allocation: € 1 270 135 903 

Subsidy sizes depend on the enterprise, region and other conditions, and vary between 25 % and 100 % of total cost (subsidies may also be subject of minimum and maximum limits).

Financial programme intended primarily for innovative cooperation projects conducted between companies, as well as R&D institutions, in relevant clusters, such as Cleantech, and focused on technology and organisation. The aim is to address the needs of SMEs.

Maximum funding per partner: € 30 000 (technology) / € 15 000 (organisation)

Maximum funding per project: depends on the number of project partners (technology) / € 50 000 (organisation)

With this energy checklist, companies can quickly determine whether there is still room for improvement in terms of energy savings. The checklist covers electricity applications like energy management, lighting, computer and IT services, compressed air, pumps, ventilators, drives, electric heat, and cooling energy. It also covers heating and hot-water consumption, process-heat consumption, heat generation and distribution, and steam systems.