On Wednesday 11 February 2026, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced a €100 million commitment to a new energy efficiency project led by European asset manager Eiffel Investment Group.
The EIB commitment is to the Eiffel Energy Efficiency Co-Investment Facility, which aims to bolster the competitiveness and reduce the carbon footprint of small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) by cutting their electricity and fuel costs and switching to green energy sources.
The EIB is acting as an anchor investor in the project, known as the E4 Facility, and will finance equity and quasi-equity instruments alongside investment vehicles managed by Eiffel Investment Group to accelerate the deployment of advanced energy efficient technologies. The goal is to mobilise a total of €1.2 billion in investments across the European Union by 2030, with most funding expected to be directed to Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The project supports an Article 9 investment strategy under the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.
The announcement was made at the Green Gateway event in Luxembourg, where the EIB Group also unveiled new partnerships with Eiffel Investment Group and Solas Capital to establish joint financing platforms for SME energy efficiency projects.
The platforms will additionally pilot an "energy efficiency as a service" model, allowing companies to buy energy saving services rather than equipment — reducing upfront costs and widening access.
According to the EIB, the E4 Facility targets sectors that develop, implement and apply energy efficiency projects and processes, primarily within the low-carbon economy. SMEs are the backbone of the European economy, representing 99% of businesses and accounting for two-thirds of private sector jobs.
“The need for investment in energy efficiency in Europe is immense and growing,” said Ambroise Fayolle, EIB VicePresident. “Through this initiative, we are developing new markets for energy efficiency as a service and strengthening European businesses’ competitiveness and green transition.”
“Energy efficiency is a very effective way to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of European SMEs while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy”, said Fabrice Dumonteil, Chairman of Eiffel Investment Group. “Thanks to the vision and decisive commitment of the European Investment Bank, through the E4 Facility, we will be scaling proven business models that deliver measurable energy efficiency outcomes. This initiative reflects Eiffel’s long-standing commitment to financing the real economy and supporting Europe’s energy transition.”
The partnership forms part of the EIB Group Energy Efficiency for SMEs initiative, launched in cooperation with the European Commission, which seeks to help SMEs using proven energy saving technologies to lower their energy bills and boost their resilience and competitiveness.
The initiative delivered €6 billion in financing in 2025, enabling up to 150,000 SMEs across Europe to invest in energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects in the programme’s first year. Between 2025 and 2027, the EIB Group aims to provide €17.5 billion in financing for up to 350,000 SMEs.
Another partner supporting the initiative is the Solar Impulse Foundation, a nonprofit organisation championing “servitisation” – energy efficiency as a service, first announced at COP29 in 2024.
The E4 Facility builds on previous cooperation between the EIB and Eiffel Investment Group dating back to 2017 aimed at accelerating the green energy transition across Europe.
