Accelerating capital-intensive energy efficiency and decarbonisation investments in the public sector by mobilising private funds

Project partners

• CREARA
• CRES
• DENEFF EDL_HUB
• EUROCROWD
• JSI
• LABEEF
• REGEA
• SEVEn
• WeGrant

Project description

The LEVERAGE Accelerator aims to advance the decarbonisation of public infrastructure and facilities across Europe by strengthening the use of private financing for capital-intensive energy efficiency and decarbonisation investments. The project addresses a key challenge faced by many municipalities and public authorities: limited public budgets and restricted borrowing capacities often hinder the implementation of the investments required to meet the targets of the revised Energy Efficiency Directive.

Public authorities across Europe face a range of structural challenges when developing and financing large-scale renovation and decarbonisation measures. These include fragmented project pipelines, limited internal capacities, insufficient experience with innovative financing mechanisms, and differing expectations and requirements between public actors and private investors. As a result, many technically and strategically viable projects fail to achieve sufficient investment readiness.

The LEVERAGE Accelerator addresses these challenges by transferring the accelerator model commonly used in the startup ecosystem to the public sector. The project combines a structured matchmaking methodology with hands-on mentoring, training activities, and targeted technical support. Through this approach, municipalities and public bodies are connected with private financial partners and supported in the development of bankable and scalable investment portfolios.

A central component of the project is the strengthening of collaboration between public bodies and private financial partners. The LEVERAGE Accelerator supports both sides in developing a better understanding of their respective requirements, investment criteria, and implementation processes. In addition, the project provides technical expertise and support during the early stages of project development to facilitate the creation of investment-ready energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects.

Within the framework of the project, investment pipelines and concrete financing opportunities will be developed in at least nine partner countries. The experiences and insights gained throughout the project will contribute to the development of a transferable accelerator blueprint that will serve as the foundation for future national accelerator programmes. The overall objective is to establish innovative financing models more broadly within the public sector and mobilise additional private investments for sustainable infrastructure across Europe.