White Certificate for Pellet Mills and Granulators — How to Obtain Funding for Energy-Efficient Pellet Production?
White certificates are energy efficiency certificates issued by the Energy Regulatory Office (URE) that can cover modern pellet mills and granulators, provided the investment leads to a measurable reduction in energy consumption confirmed by an audit. The certificate has real market value — it can be sold on the Polish Power Exchange (TGE) or settled financially, which in practice lowers the effective purchase cost of the machine.
Rising energy prices and growing pressure to improve energy efficiency mean that investors are increasingly looking for technological solutions eligible for financial support. One of the most important mechanisms in Poland is the white certificate for granulators — i.e. energy efficiency certificates that can cover modern pellet mills and granulators.
What are white certificates?
White certificates are a support instrument introduced by the Energy Efficiency Act. They confirm that a given investment leads to measurable final energy savings.
- They are issued by the Energy Regulatory Office (URE)
- They apply to new investments or modernisations of existing installations
- They are based on energy audits
- They can be sold on the Polish Power Exchange (TGE) or settled financially
Do pellet mills and granulators qualify for white certificates?
Yes — provided certain criteria are met. Pellet mills and granulators can be covered by the white certificate scheme if the investment leads to a reduction in specific energy consumption (kWh/t), an increase in pelletising process efficiency, a reduction in mechanical and thermal losses, and the use of modern motors, gearboxes, and control systems.
What financial benefits does a white certificate provide?
White certificates have real market value, can be sold, and often reduce the effective purchase cost of a granulator. Investments with confirmed energy efficiency are also better assessed in grant competitions and make conversations with banks and leasing companies easier.
Energy audit — the key to a white certificate
Without an audit there is no white certificate — energy savings cannot be proven. The audit compares the existing situation with the planned investment, determines annual energy savings, and forms the basis of the application to URE. It is best carried out before purchasing a granulator, at the investment planning stage, in cooperation with the technology supplier.
FAQ — questions investors ask
Does every granulator qualify for white certificates?
No. Only investments that deliver measurable energy savings confirmed by an audit.
Is a white certificate a grant?
Not directly, but it has tangible financial value and often acts as a partial return on investment.
Can white certificates be combined with an EU grant?
Yes — they are very often complementary.