The E-Lar program, which provides a voucher for the exchange of household appliances, is set to receive an additional 51.5 million euros in funding, with applications for this second phase starting on December 2.
Who can apply for this support?
“Any consumer could apply to receive this support for replacing ovens, stoves, and gas water heaters or gas boilers with electric equipment. However, the measure primarily targets vulnerable families with social energy tariffs, who could receive a digital voucher with a higher value and some costs covered, such as transportation and installation or even the VAT on the appliances. It is expected that, in the next application phase, this will remain the case“, explains DECO PROteste.
Additionally, “the opening of a new phase of the E-Lar support, with a budget of 51.5 million euros for distribution to consumers, is believed to be a chance for those who did not receive support in the first phase, as well as for rectifying some of the shortcomings pointed out by the consumer protection organization since the program’s launch“.
Which appliances can I buy with the E-Lar support?
DECO PROteste explains that the “program ultimately offered support only for the replacement of ovens, hobs, stoves, and gas water heaters or gas boilers with electric equipment for the same functions”, such as:
- induction electric hobs;
- conventional electric hobs;
- sets of electric hobs and ovens;
- electric ovens;
- and electric storage heaters.
“The equipment must, mandatorily, and when applicable, have an energy class of A or higher. However, there is an exception. In the case of storage heaters over 30 liters, it is possible to purchase equipment with an energy class of B or higher”, the consumer protection organization clarifies.
What is the value of the support?
DECO PROteste states that the support allocated for replacing ovens, stoves, and gas water heaters or gas boilers with electric equipment of class A or higher, through a voucher, had values of:
- 1,683 euros for vulnerable families with social energy tariffs;
- 1,100 euros for consumers with an electricity supply contract.
For families with social energy tariffs, the maximum amounts that could be spent per appliance were:
- 369 euros for induction electric hobs;
- 179.60 euros for conventional electric hobs;
- 738 euros for a set of electric hobs and ovens;
- 369 euros for electric ovens;
- 615 euros for electric storage heaters.
“These amounts included VAT at the legal rate in effect. For these consumers, the voucher also included a support of 50 euros for transportation, 100 euros for the installation of hobs, ovens, or sets of hobs and ovens, and 180 euros for the installation of electric storage heaters”, explains the organization.
As for other consumers, the maximum amounts allowed per appliance were:
- 300 euros for induction electric hobs;
- 146 euros for conventional electric hobs;
- 600 euros for a set of electric hobs and ovens;
- 300 euros for electric ovens;
- 500 euros for electric storage heaters.
“For these consumers, the voucher did not cover VAT on the appliances, nor did it cover transportation or installation of the appliances, which had to be paid by the consumer themselves,” concludes DECO PROteste.
The E-Lar program covers the entire mainland of Portugal, as indicated on the Fundo Ambiental website.
