Save – Upgrade Homes 2026: the €20m grant round for homes
The official guide is out and applications are open. What it covers, how much each measure gets, who qualifies, and the deadlines, from the guide itself.
By Charis Kasiouli, Mechanical Engineer · 5 min read · Published 2026-08-23 · Updated 2026-10-11
This article follows the official Scheme Guide published by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry. Where the guide differs from the May 2026 announcement, the guide is what applies, and we have corrected this page accordingly.
The 3rd Call of the «Save – Upgrade Homes» scheme («Εξοικονομώ – Αναβαθμίζω στις Κατοικίες») is part of the THALIA 2021-2027 programme, co-funded by the EU and the Republic of Cyprus. Applications are open, online only, at fundingapps.meci.gov.cy, until 30 December 2026 or until the budget runs out.
Helpline: 17107. Read the official Scheme Guide (PDF).
Key figures
The condition most people will miss
A grant is only paid if the works achieve at least a 60% reduction in primary energy use, and include at least one envelope measure (roof or floor insulation, wall insulation, or new windows). The saving is measured by comparing the Energy Performance Certificate before the works with a second one after them.
Solar on its own will not reach this. The threshold is designed for a package, with PV and storage as part of the mix rather than the whole of it.
If someone tells you that fitting panels alone will secure €32,000 from this scheme, ask them how the 60% and the envelope measure are being met.
Two grant types
Type A, an integrated upgrade to a nearly zero-energy building, up to €32,000. Type B, an energy upgrade, up to €24,000. Both need the 60% saving and an envelope measure; Type A must also reach nearly zero-energy building standard.
One exception applies to Type B only: a home with an existing certificate of class B or better that has already upgraded part of its envelope to the required standard does not need a new envelope measure.
If a Type A application does not reach nearly zero-energy standard after the works but does meet the Type B criteria, it can still be paid, at the lower Type B maximum.
How much each measure gets (Annex A)
The grant is not a percentage of your invoice. Annex A sets a fixed amount per unit for every measure, up to the Type A or Type B maximum:
| Measure | Standard amount | Increased amount |
|---|---|---|
| Roof or floor insulation (average U ≤ 0.40 W/m²K) | €30 / m² | €40 / m² |
| Wall and structural-frame insulation (average U ≤ 0.40 W/m²K) | €40 / m² | €55 / m² |
| Window replacement (U ≤ 2.25 W/m²K) | €200 / m² | €265 / m² |
| External movable shading (per m² of window shaded) | €135 / m² | €180 / m² |
| Solar water heater (one per home) | €885 | €1,180 |
| Split air conditioner up to 4 kW (A++ cooling, A+ heating) | €290 / unit | €390 / unit |
| Split air conditioner above 4 kW, up to 12 kW | €525 / unit | €700 / unit |
| Heat pump for central heating/cooling (A+) | €3,225 | €4,300 |
| Solar PV, up to 10 kW | €450 / kW | €1,000 / kW |
| Battery, up to 4 kWh | €720 / kWh | €960 / kWh |
| Qualified Expert services (per m² of useful floor area) | €3.75 / m² | €5 / m² |
Amounts as published in Annex A of the guide. Each measure has its own technical conditions and payment documents; check them in the official guide.
Solar and batteries in the grant
- PV systems up to 10 kW, connected to the home’s own electricity account.
- Systems operating under Net-Metering are not eligible.
- Batteries storing the PV production, up to 4 kWh.
- The PV must be installed by an approved RES installer listed on the Energy Service register.
- For payment, the guide asks for EAC confirmation of the PV connection (or the first electricity bill after installation), and EAC confirmation that the battery is connected with the PV.
Worked example from Annex A: 10 kW of PV and a 4 kWh battery is 10 × €450 + 4 × €720 = €7,380. At the increased rate it is 10 × €1,000 + 4 × €960 = €13,840. This only counts if the whole application meets the 60% condition.
4 kWh is small for most homes. A larger battery can still make sense for evening use or backup; check with the scheme how a system larger than the eligible size is treated before you apply.
Who gets the increased amount
The May 2026 announcement spoke of a 20% increase. The guide sets its own increased amounts in Annex A, and for several measures they are well above 20% (PV is €1,000 per kW instead of €450). The guide is what applies. Four groups qualify:
- Vulnerable consumers (Annex B): for example recipients of the Minimum Guaranteed Income, public assistance, certain disability allowances or the low-income pensioners’ allowance; families receiving child benefit with gross family income up to €19,500; large families with three or more children; single-parent families; and people with specific medical conditions recorded by the Health Insurance Organisation. The home must be their permanent residence, and the application can be made by them or a close relative. The Ministry checks this with the relevant state services.
- Mountain areas (Annex C): defined only by postal code, taken from the address on your electricity bill. The home must be your permanent residence.
- Refugee housing estates: a home in a refugee estate or self-housing settlement, used as permanent residence, where the applicant or spouse is displaced.
- Apartment blocks: a single application by the management committee for an integrated upgrade of at least five residential units.
Mountain postal codes in Paphos district
These are the Paphos-district communities on the official list. If your postal code is not on the list, the home does not count as a mountain area for the scheme, even if it is in the hills.
- Agia Marina Kelokedaron · 8641
- Agios Dimitrianos · 8741
- Agios Ioannis Paphou · 8621
- Agios Nikolaos Paphou · 8623
- Anadhiou · 8802
- Arminou · 8625
- Asprogia · 8643
- Drymou · 8742
- Filousa Kelokedaron · 8629
- Fiti · 8748
- Galataria · 8645
- Kannaviou - Melamiou · 8746
- Kedares · 8626
- Kelokedara · 8628
- Kidasi · 8627
- Koilinia · 8646
- Kritou Marottou · 8747
- Lapithiou · 8647
- Lasa · 8740
- Livadi Paphou · 8878
- Mamountali · 8648
- Mesana · 8631
- Milia Paphou · 8744
- Pano Panayia · 8640
- Pentalia · 8650
- Pomos · 8870
- Pretori · 8630
- Psathi · 8749
- Salamiou · 8620
- Statos-Agios Fotios · 8651
- Thrinia · 8743
- Trachypedoula · 8608
- Vretsia · 8644
Annex C also lists communities in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca districts; see the official guide.
Who qualifies
- Individuals only, not companies. The one exception is an apartment block of five or more residential units, through a single application by its management committee.
- One application per person, and one approved application per home, for this call.
- The home’s first connection to the grid must be before 1 January 2008, or its planning application submitted before 21 December 2007.
- A recent electricity bill on a domestic tariff, in an individual’s name.
- The home must be in an area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus; homes in the British Bases areas are not eligible.
- Not owned by or rented to a company. Long-term rental to an individual as their permanent home is allowed.
- The same measures must not have been funded before, by an earlier call of this scheme or any other grant.
The EPC and the 15 May 2026 date
- The initial Energy Performance Certificate must be issued after 15 May 2026 and show the home as it is.
- An older certificate can still be used if the Qualified Expert who issued it visits the home after 15 May 2026 and confirms, by a signed declaration, that it still reflects the home because nothing has been upgraded since.
- Only works carried out after 15 May 2026 and after the initial certificate (or that confirmation visit) are eligible.
- Not all of the works may be completed before you submit the application.
- The certificate must come from a Qualified Expert on the Energy Service register, who must not be related to the applicant up to the 4th degree.
- For a large-scale renovation of a building whose permit was issued before 1994, the owner must appoint an engineer to assess the structure.
Deadlines after you apply
| Stage | Deadline in the guide |
|---|---|
| Clarifications requested during assessment | 30 calendar days, otherwise the application is rejected |
| Objection to a rejection or a lower amount | 30 calendar days from the letter (then 75 days to the Administrative Court) |
| Works and final EPC | 12 months from the approval letter |
| Extension, on written request with reasons | Up to 6 more months (longer only for documented force majeure) |
| Payment request | At the latest 1 month after the implementation deadline |
| Missing documents at payment stage | 30 calendar days, otherwise that part is not paid |
| Criteria not met at payment | 3 months for corrective works at your own cost; if then met, the grant is paid minus €500 |
| After payment | 5 years: not rented to a company, not used for business |
No measure can be added at payment stage if it was not in the application and the funding agreement. Keep every original invoice and proof of payment: the Ministry can ask for them, and the responsibility for proving dates lies with both you and the Qualified Expert.
Where CYMECH fits
CYMECH does not issue Energy Performance Certificates; that is the Qualified Expert’s role.
We design and install the PV and battery part, put the kW and kWh on the quote exactly as they go on the application, handle the EAC connection whose confirmation the payment request needs, and provide the invoices and photos for the payment file.
A grant reduces the cost of a system. It does not decide what system you need. Our cost calculator sizes a PV and battery system to your own EAC bill under Net Billing. Note that the calculator does not apply the grant’s 10 kW and 4 kWh limits.
What an EPC is, and who can issue one →
EPC issued before 15 May 2026? When it still counts →
Sources
- Scheme Guide, 3rd Call, version 3.0, September 2026 (Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry): sections 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 16 and Annexes A, B, C
- Online applications: fundingapps.meci.gov.cy · Helpline 17107
- Ministerial press conference, May 2026
Related
This article reflects the official Scheme Guide (version 3.0, September 2026), checked on 11 October 2026. Grant rules, amounts and dates are set by the Cypriot authorities and can change; always confirm with the official guide before making decisions.