Sweden. Sparbanken Öresund AB

The loan programme has been provided for onlending to SMEs and households for small-scale environmental investments with the purpose to reduce emissions and produce positive environmental impacts. The eligible investments include those to cut diffuse emissions to air and water that are otherwise difficult to address due to their small size and large number.

The projects under the programme are to fall into one of the following categories:

–        Reduction or cleaning of waste water (discharge from households, buildings, waste discharge stations at recreational ports)

–        Reduction of nutrient runoff from agriculture (fertiliser handling, manure handling, exclusion areas between fields and water courses)

–        Reduction of emissions to air (heat pumps, ground heat, improved insulation)

–        Implementation of renewable energy (change to pellet heating, small-scale wind power, solar panels).

Based in the Malmö region in southern Sweden, and established in 2010 after a merger between two local savings banks, Sparbanken Öresund AB is the largest independent savings bank in Sweden, ranked 7th nationwide by total assets. With a regional network of 33 branches, it services 216,300 retail customers and 16,000 SMEs.

Eligible projects are strictly defined as (i) reduction or cleaning of waste water (ii) reduction of nutrient runoff from agriculture (iii) electricity generation from a renewable source or (iv) energy efficiency projects introducing measures saving at least 30% compared to the original situation.

Investments eligible for financing are expected to be small to medium-sized projects with limited environmental impacts. No category A projects will be financed prior to a full assessment with public disclosure conducted by NIB.