To make this measure more effective and tailored to the specific context of your company, we recommend that you first perform an overall analysis of your energy situation.
Heat recovery from the condensers of the refrigeration units to preheat domestic hot water (DHW)
A refrigeration cycle works by capturing heat from the evaporator inside the cold rooms, to subsequently discharge it towards the condenser outside the building. This project aims to recover this heat to preheat domestic hot water (DHW) which is a must in all butcher shops. To do this, a heat exchanger is installed between the compressor and the condenser of the refrigeration unit.
This measure could reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 10 to 30%, thereby significantly reducing or even eliminating energy demand for domestic hot water (DHW) production. However, its implementation is complex and will require a temporary production shutdown to during the installation.
In practice, recovery can be implemented in three different ways:
- External exchanger: an exchanger is connected on one side to the compressor outlet and on the other to the hot water tank, allowing for partial heat recovery.
- Internal exchanger: a “desuperheater” exchanger through which the refrigerant flows is integrated at the bottom of the hot water tank upstream of the condenser.
- Condensation water collector: all of the refrigerant is condensed inside the hot water tank, allowing for total heat recovery.
Energy and environmental impact
The two joint positive effects are:
- Energy gain: by recovering the energy discharged outside (waste heat), the energy demand for the production of DHW can be reduced significantly.
- Environmental gain: using this waste heat for DHW production reduces the environmental impact, with a particularly positive effect on carbon emissions if the DHW was initially produced by burning fossil fuels.
State subsidy application
State subsidies
Please note: any application for government or non-government subsidies must comply with the “incentive effect”, subject to compliance with the subsidy conditions.
To ensure that the ‘incentive effect’ is respected, no binding commitment (signing a quotation; paying an advance) may be made BEFORE submitting the application file or receiving the agreement in principle from the State or the electricity and natural gas supplier following an application for subsidies.
- Financial Aid for small and medium-sized enterprises covering up to 70% of eligible costs for the implementation of a project aimed at reducing the environmental impact. The eligible project budget must be in a range from 3.000 € to 25.000 € excl. VAT.
- For more information:
- Chambre des Métiers for craft companies
- Chamber of Commerce for businesses in the non-craft sectors
Aid for environmental protection
The law of 8 December 2025 on the renewal of the aid scheme for environmental and climate protection provides for the granting of investment aid to SMEs and large companies established in Luxembourg, with a business licence, and carrying out projects that contribute to environmental or climate protection.
This aid supports investments aimed at improving energy efficiency outside buildings. It is intended for initiatives that either reduce energy consumption by at least 20% or achieve energy savings of at least 250 MWh per year.
The following maximum rates apply:
| Activity | Company size | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Medium | Large | |
| Energy efficiency outside buildings | 25 % | 20 % | 15 % |
When equipment is added to an existing installation and there is no counterfactual investment that is less environmentally friendly, the aid rate shown in the table above is doubled.
SMEs may receive aid upon request if they meet the conditions set out in Article 7 of this law, provided that the aid is less than €100,000 and more than €50,000.
Large enterprises, as well as SMEs, will also be able to participate in regular calls for projects, which will be announced below when they become available.
The General Directorate – State Aid and Company Financing will verify the eligibility of applications.
- For support or questions regarding the process, please contact Luxinnovation.
Call for projects for measures promoting energy efficiency outside buildings
A call for projects is open from 5 January 2026 to 30 June 2026 to support measures that promote energy efficiency outside buildings.
This call will be conducted on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, i.e. aid will be granted in the order in which applications are received, until the €15 million budget is exhausted. No specifications have been published; only the conditions specified in the law of 8 December 2025 on the renewal of the environmental and climate protection aid scheme will apply.
- For more information: myguichet.lu
- For questions : Luxinnovation
N.B. State subsidies cannot be combined for the same project
Subsidies from electricity and natural gas suppliers
Since 2015, natural gas and electricity suppliers are required to make energy savings for consumers under the obligation scheme. Since then, energy suppliers have been offering support and advice, as well as subsidy programmes for consumers to implement energy efficiency measures.
The following suppliers offer this service for companies:
N.B. Supplier subsidies can be combined with any state subsidies for the same project.
Tax relief for investment in an ecological and energy transition project
The tax relief is calculated based on the investments and operating expenses incurred as part of an ecological and energy transition project.
The tax relief rate is set at 18% and is applied directly to the amount of tax due.
This deduction can be combined with standard state subsidies.
For the project to be eligible, it must meet at least one of the following objectives:
- Improve the energy efficiency of a production process
- Improve the material efficiency of a production process
- Decarbonise a production process
- Reduce air pollution at the production site (excluding CO2 emissions)
- Produce or store renewable energy for self-consumption
- Promote the extended use of products through reuse
For certain objectives, minimum thresholds must be met.
To verify your eligibility and ensure that these thresholds are satisfied, it is recommended that the impact of the measure on one of the above conditions be certified by an expert or a design office.
Further details and conditions: Guichet.lu
For questions: Ministry of Economy – Bonus