A €43 billion European recovery fund aimed at improving household energy efficiency is falling short of delivering the largest possible savings, the European Court of Auditors warned on July 7. The court found that EU financing has prioritised quicker, easier renovations over deeper overhauls that could cut energy use by more than 60 percent.
Of 111 renovation measures examined, only three included targets directly tied to energy savings. Italy's Superbonus scheme, set to receive nearly a third of all dedicated renovation funding at €14 billion, was singled out as a striking example of inefficient spending. The programme, which covers up to 110 percent of renovation costs, was found to be the most expensive and least efficient measure examined, with per-unit energy-saving costs four times higher than initially forecast.
Nearly three-quarters of EU buildings remain energy-inefficient. The auditors recommended redirecting aid toward deep renovations and improving methods to measure results.