“Local Charging Infrastructure” funding programme: Application deadline ends at the end of the year – submit your application now

Applications for the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport’s “Local Charging Infrastructure” funding programme can still be submitted until the end of the year. The programme is primarily aimed at companies in the retail sector and the hospitality industry.

A total of 300 million euros in funding is available to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to set up publicly accessible charging infrastructure in Germany. Also eligible to apply are natural persons and local authorities. The programme has already been very well received since its launch in April 2021: The responsible granting authority, the Federal Agency for Administrative Services (BAV – Bundesanstalt für Verwaltungsdienstleistungen), has received more than 4,500 applications to date, primarily for smaller projects with an average of four charging points per application.

Conrad Hammer, Team Leader of the “Funding” unit at the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure, which coordinates the programme on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport: “We are pleased that so many companies and municipalities are taking advantage of this opportunity to set up charging facilities in their car parks. In the coming weeks and months, thousands of new charging points will be built in front of hotels, restaurants, libraries, supermarkets and at marketplaces, enabling convenient, hassle-free charging. Municipal and medium-sized companies know the needs of their local areas and are therefore tremendously important in setting up a comprehensive and user-friendly overall charging infrastructure system.”

Funding details

• The funding is granted as de minimis assistance.
• Only enterprises that fall under the SME definition of the Commission Recommendation of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (OJ EC L 124/36) as well as regional authorities and natural persons are eligible.
• Civil law companies are not eligible to apply.
• Funding is available for:
  • The initial procurement and installation of standard charging infrastructure (AC and DC) (3.7 kW to 22 kW) with up to 80% of the total eligible expenditure, up to a maximum of €4,000 per charging point
  • The initial procurement and installation of fast charging infrastructure (DC) from 22 kW to a maximum of 50 kW with up to 80% of the total eligible expenditure, up to a maximum of €16,000 per charging point
  • The connection to the low-voltage grid up to 80% of the total eligible expenditure, up to a maximum of €10,000 funding per location
  • The connection to the medium-voltage grid in the amount of 80% of the total eligible expenditure, up to a maximum of €100,000 per location
• Funding for the combination of grid connection and buffer storage is also possible (maximum funding amount is analogous to the associated grid connection).
• Funding is only possible if the charging infrastructure is publicly accessible within the meaning of the Charging Column Ordinance (LSV – Ladesäulenverordnung) in its current version.
• If the public accessibility of the charging point is limited (opening hours: at least 12/6), the funding amount is reduced to 50% of the maximum funding.
• The supported charging points must enable contract-based charging, roaming and ad-hoc charging.
• Electricity from renewable energies is mandatory.
• The charging infrastructure must be implemented by 31.12.2022.

Applications for funding from the BAV approval authority can be submitted via the easy-Online application portal until 31 December 2021