The Minister of Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho, announced on Friday that over 21,000 people have attempted to request vouchers for appliance exchange under the second phase of the E-Lar program.
“Yesterday, 21,235 applications were submitted, 15,931 are under evaluation, and 29 are in the process of being accepted. Vouchers have already been issued. It went well,” the minister stated in remarks to TVI.
When asked about website access, which again faced constraints, the minister acknowledged, “It is very difficult to have an IT system that can withstand 30,000 people accessing the site in the first 10 seconds.”
The Ministry of Environment and Energy, through the Climate Agency, launched the second phase of the E-LAR Program, valued at 60.8 million euros, with applications opening on Thursday, December 11.
The date for this second phase, focusing on building energy efficiency, had previously been announced by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, during a parliamentary hearing on November 4.
Last week, a statement from the Ministry of Environment highlighted that the new phase of E-Lar has 60.8 million euros available, more than double the first edition.
The government also noted a new eligible expense in the competition, applicable to beneficiaries of the social electricity tariff, concerning the removal of equipment.
What is the E-Lar program?
The E-Lar program funds the replacement of gas appliances with more efficient electric solutions, “consolidating the national commitment to energy efficiency, electrification of domestic consumption, and protection of vulnerable families,” according to the statement.
According to the new notice published, individuals can now apply, and qualified suppliers have expressed interest in remaining part of the E-LAR Program.
The statement reiterates what the minister had previously stated, that energy efficiency rules remain unchanged.
New equipment must meet energy class A or higher, with exceptions such as electric plates without a minimum class and water heaters over 30 liters with class B or higher.
Maria da Graça Carvalho noted in the statement that the new phase of E-Lar represents “a stronger commitment to the thermal comfort of families, the electrification of consumption, and the reduction of energy inequalities.”
The Ministry also emphasized that the launch of the second phase comes shortly after the European Commission praised Portugal for the effectiveness of its policies in combating energy poverty.
In the previous call in October, the program received 40,000 applications within just six days, quickly exhausting the available 30 million euros.
On the Environmental Fund’s page, it is explained that the goal of E-Lar is to support families in purchasing efficient equipment and electrifying energy consumption.
It serves, for example, to support the replacement of gas-consuming equipment, such as stoves, ovens, and water heaters, with electric appliances, like plates, stoves, or water heaters.
[Article updated at 08:53]
