Portrait of young woman holding a solar panel showing the source of energy for her electric white car and a plug on hand

Innovation Promotion

Municipal innovation promotion

Important notice: registration for participation in the lottery is closed!

City of Hilden promotes the combination of electromobility and photovoltaic systems with a total funding budget of 78,750 euros.

Electromobility is an important interface for the energy and traffic turnaround. With the solar offensive for the city area, the city of Hilden wants to motivate its citizens to switch to climate-friendly alternatives and to generate the required energy for the unavoidable motorized individual transport themselves.

A municipal innovation grant of a flat rate of 1,750 euros per application was set up for this purpose. Owners of owner-occupied single-family homes in Hilden can use this grant to purchase a new photovoltaic system with a minimum output of 6 kWp, including a battery storage system. The prerequisite is that the applicants already own a wallbox or also install a new one.

The innovation funding is possible thanks to compensation funds from the state of NRW. The state provides funds for municipal climate protection investments and wants to support municipalities in implementing corresponding measures despite the challenges of the Corona pandemic. The city of Hilden has applied for corresponding funds and is investing them, among other things, in innovation support for citizens.

The municipal climate neutrality target by 2035 can only be achieved with the participation of as many people as possible. Single-family homes account for more than 25 percent of housing in Hilden and motorized private transport is around 50 percent. Innovation funding is therefore an essential building block for advancing both the energy and mobility transformation in Hilden.

Sequence of the two-stage application procedure:

The application procedure is two-stage. First, interested parties must register for the electronic lottery procedure. Registration is activated for a period of 12 weekdays. For this purpose, only information on the person and the property is required. When all registrations received during the registration period have been collected, 45 participants will be drawn from the basic population via an anonymized digital lottery procedure and notified. A detailed application must then be submitted, including supporting documents and cost estimates. The submitted documents are checked for completeness and plausibility. If the review is positive, the applicants then receive a notice of approval and can then begin with the measure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What is promoted?

    Funding is provided for the new installation of a PV system (min. 6 kWp) incl. battery storage system (min. 50 percent self-sufficiency) in combination with an existing or newly installed wallbox.

  • Who can register for the lottery or is eligible to apply?

    Eligible to apply are private individuals (natural persons) with their primary residence in Hilden, who are the owner of an owner-occupied single-family house within the city limits of Hilden and who do not carry out any economic activities within the meaning of European state aid law.

  • What are the requirements?

    • Implementation of the measure (PV and electricity storage) may not begin until the application has been approved. Please note that placing an order is considered the start of the measure. However, obtaining a quote is not considered the start of the measure.
    • The planned measure must be implemented in the area of the city of Hilden.
    • The projects must be carried out properly and professionally.
    • Maintenance of the subsidized measure must be ensured for at least 10 years from completion (earmarking period).
  • Are there any technical requirements for the planned plant?

    Yes, all applicable standards must be met for the proposed installation.

  • Can I also finance the subsidized facility through a lease or rental?

    Yes, facilities with an alternative financing model are also eligible. This also includes leased or rented facilities. Nevertheless, the earmarking period of at least 10 years must be observed in any case.

  • How much is the promotion?

    The grant is awarded as a non-repayable lump-sum subsidy in the amount of €1,750.

  • How do I register for the lottery?

    Registration for the lottery takes place exclusively online via the registration portal. For this purpose, only information about the person and the property is required.

  • How will I know if I have been drawn?

    After the registration window has closed, 45 interested parties will be drawn (anonymously and digitally) from all those who have registered. These 45 people will receive a letter or email within one week after the closed registration period that they can now apply for funding.

    Unfortunately, for those participants in the lottery who do not receive a response, there is no possibility to apply for funding, as sufficient funds are only available for 45 applications.

  • How do I apply for funding?

    The application can be submitted online or in writing. You already make the selection for the online or postal application procedure when registering for the lottery procedure.

    Online applications can only be made via the web-based forms of the city of Hilden!

    It is generally not possible to submit applications by e-mail. Applications submitted by e-mail can therefore not be considered!

    Written applications must be submitted to the City of Hilden, Climate Protection Office, Am Rathaus 1, 40721 Hilden.

  • What information and documents do I need for the application?

    If you would like to implement a PV system including an electricity storage system, you must submit an offer from a specialist company when submitting your application. The offer must indicate the size of the planned system (in kWp) as well as the degree of self-sufficiency through the use of the electricity storage system (in percent). You will need this information for the application form.

    In addition, proof of proper registration of a wallbox in your possession must be submitted to Stadtwerke Hilden. ALTERNATIVELY, you need an offer with a cost estimate from a specialist company for a wallbox. In the case of an online purchase, a screenshot of the website showing the manufacturing company, model and price is also sufficient as an offer. The offer must indicate the charging capacity of the wallbox (in kW).

  • How long is the processing time?

    The processing time of submitted applications depends on the number and completeness of the applications received.

  • How do I know if my project is eligible?

    The submitted application is checked for completeness and plausibility. If the review is positive, the applicants receive a notice of approval and can then start implementing the measures.

  • How much time do I have to implement the project?

    The funding commitment granted in the notification of approval expires if the project is not completed within 18 months from the date of notification or if the documents required for payment are not submitted in due time.

  • Under what conditions is the grant paid?

    The approved subsidy amount is paid out if the measure has been implemented after 18 months at the latest and the evidence has been submitted without being requested:

    • Proof of registration of the wallbox with Stadtwerke Hilden,
    • Photos of the implemented measure components,
    • Copies of invoices or contracts (if the facility is leased),
    • for PV system and electricity storage: commissioning report and declaration by a specialist contractor,
    • Proof that the PV storage system has achieved a degree of self-sufficiency of at least 50%.