The E-Lar program, designed to replace gas appliances with electric ones in homes, received around 40,000 applications in six days, with the allocated budget of 30 million euros now “exhausted,” the government announced. Who will receive the vouchers, where can they be used, and what if the voucher’s value isn’t enough for the desired appliance? Let’s break it down.
First, it’s important to note that consumers can purchase appliances from a network of participating suppliers listed on the Environmental Fund’s website – here.
“The list of suppliers validated by the Environmental Fund allows searches by district and provides contact details for companies participating in this support measure,” explains DECO PROTeste.
The consumer protection organization advises that, “according to the E-Lar program rules, the voucher must be used once and then blocked by sellers on the Environmental Fund platform.”
“This means that if you want to replace all possible appliances under this program, such as the oven, stove, and water heater or gas boiler, you must purchase all appliances from the same store in one transaction. Therefore, if your application is accepted, you will receive the digital voucher at the email provided. Then, you should go to one of the stores listed in the program and exchange the voucher for the appliances you choose,” the organization explains.
And if the voucher amount is not enough for the desired appliances?
DECO PROTeste explains that “if the voucher’s value isn’t enough to cover the full cost of the chosen appliance, you must pay the excess directly to the chosen store.”
The organization reminds that “you can choose the desired appliances, provided they meet the criteria outlined in the program notice.”
“In other words, provided they have an energy class of A or higher, where applicable (for example, electric hobs do not have an energy label), or an energy class of B or higher in the case of water heaters over 30 liters,” it states.
It is also important to know that “only exchanges of gas appliances are permitted, so you cannot use this voucher to exchange, for example, an already electric oven.”
“It’s also not possible to exchange biomass boilers for a water heater, since the program aims to replace fossil fuels (gas) with electric alternatives. This is why the purchase of hybrid water heaters is not eligible for this support,” DECO PROTeste explains.
Attention to the voucher’s validity!
You should also consider that once you receive the support voucher, “you have 60 days to exchange it at one of the participating stores,” with “the voucher expiring after these 60 days.”
“Suppliers must deliver and install the new appliances, and collect the old equipment, within a maximum of 45 days from the voucher’s cancellation date on the Environmental Fund platform,” as stated on the consumer protection organization’s website.
