The collapse of Clean Air? The number of applications dropped. NFOŚiGW: This is the effect of reforms.

After the Clean Air programme resumed after a four-month break, the number of applications submitted decreased dramatically, causing harsh criticism from environmental organisations. The Polish Smog Alarm (PAS) speaks straight about "the collapse" and alerts about the failure of assurance in the key anti-smog program. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW), which manages the programme, rejects these allegations, claiming that the decline is temporary and results from the essential reforms to seal the strategy and fight against abuse. The situation is worrying among possible beneficiaries and executive companies, putting the pace of thermomodernisation of Polish houses in question.

Smog alarm strikes the alarm: "Clean air collapse"

The Polish Smog Alarm presented data which in their opinion clearly indicate serious problems of the program. In the period from 31 March to 30 June 2025, after resumption of applications, they were only submitted 11 160. This is simply a drastic decline compared to akin periods in erstwhile years: in 2024 it was 78 326 applications and in 2023 54 100.

A spokesperson for PAS, Piotr Sergei, commented on these figures, saying that "what is happening with the Clean Air program is hard to call different than a collapse." He stressed that as many requests were made after the reboot during the 4th as were submitted in just 2 weeks before suspension. The organization fears that at this rate it will not be possible to accomplish a evidence score of 2024 (more than 270 000 proposals), and the popularity of the program after the improvement has decreased significantly.

PAS points to a number of reasons for this situation: problems with programme management, late payments to companies and citizens and a decrease in public confidence. The PAS leader, Andrzej Guła, stated that 2025 could be remembered as the 1 in which the program "in rule was stopped" if there was no fundamental change in approach to problems. PAS demands simplifying and redoing procedures, accelerate the service of beneficiaries and reconstruct confidence.

The organisation besides proposed to introduce Energy audit voucher, regardless of joining the programme. PAS argues that any beneficiaries are now resigning due to the fact that the audit does not warrant the grant, despite the costs incurred.

NFOŚiGW responds: It's essential reforms, not collapse.

The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management has a completely different perspective. The Fund argues that the observed decrease in the number of applications is Transitional phasewhich is simply a natural consequence of the essential reforms. NFOŚiGW emphasises that precedence has become quality and safety of the programmenot the number of applications submitted.

The Fund explains that changes were essential after detection irregularities and fraud, which were to cover contracts for respective 100 million zlotys and were the reason for the temporary suspension of the programme in late 2024. The fresh rules are intended to guarantee greater stability, focus on real energy efficiency improvements and safer spending of public funds.

With respect to the problems with payments, the NFOŚiGW acknowledges that they may be transitional in nature, due to the overload of the strategy and the request to adapt to the fresh rules. However, it ensures that the fresh mechanisms have the eventual increase the stableness of payments.

The Fund powerfully rejects the argument of undermining confidence, claiming that the ‘cleaning’ of the programme was essential and demonstrating care for fair beneficiaries and public resources. The NFOŚiGW does not support the thought of energy audit vouchers, explaining that the audit is simply a tool for a sound assessment of the investment and its compliance with the programme's requirements, alternatively than an automatic warrant of grants.

The NFOŚiGW concludes that the criticism of PAS is based on a short-term analysis of data, while the actions of the Fund aim to guarantee the sustainability, reliability and effectiveness of the programme in the long term. The Fund considers that it is better to go through a transitional period with less proposals than to proceed the programme with abuse gaps.

What changed in the program? fresh rules after reform

The improvement of the Clean Air programme, which entered into force at the end of March 2025, introduced a number of crucial changes. The key novelty is mandatory energy audit before the thermomodernisation work. It is intended to guarantee that the planned investments are optimal for the building and bring real energy savings.

From the program subsidies to gas furnaces have been withdrawn. This change aims to better adapt the programme to EU and national climate objectives by promoting greener solutions specified as heat pumps.

In order to reduce fraud and improve the quality of the projects, maximum eligible costs for individual elements of the investment (e.g. warming, window replacement). besides specified individual grants limits per square metre of surface of insulation of walls, ceilings, floors and windows and doors. The level of co-financing has besides been limited to accompanying work, which is not the main component of thermomodernisation.

For certain beneficiaries, in peculiar those benefiting from the highest level of co-financing and pre-financing, the programme provides for support in the form of ‘careers’to aid pass through the full investment and settlement process. This change is intended to increase the safety of beneficiaries and minimise the hazard of irregularities.

Let us remind you that fraud was the origin of the reform. According to NFOŚiGW data, 2024 and I 4th 2025 were spoken 1.4 1000 contractsand in 652, the grant was reduced. full to be reimbursed to the Fund PLN 40.9 million. Irregularities concerned, among others, exceeding deadlines, over-costing, failure to meet method requirements or leaving old Cinderellas.

Practical consequences for applicants and companies

The current situation in Clean Air has a direct impact on those planning for thermomodernisation and on executive companies. Significant simplification in the number of applications means little work for installers and builders specialising in warming and heat exchange. Companies that have invested in improvement in terms of program handling may feel slowed down.

For beneficiaries, mandatory energy audit means an additional starting cost and the request to find a qualified auditor. Although the NFOŚiGW stresses that the audit is simply a tool for better investment planning, for any it may constitute a financial or procedural barrier, in peculiar if the audit demonstrates that the planned investment is not eligible for the grant.

Problems with late payments, although according to the NFOŚiGW, they are of concern and can discourage both beneficiaries (who frequently benefit from pre-financing or gotta bear costs before receiving grants) and companies (who must wait to be paid for the work done). Rebuilding assurance in this respect is crucial to the liquidity of the programme.

Introduction Cost limits for individual elements of the investment requires applicants and companies to more accurately plan and evaluate. This can be a challenge in the face of rising prices of materials and services. On the another hand, this is to defend against over-cost and abuse.

The deficiency of subsidies for gas furnaces means that people who planned to replace an old gas boiler must now consider another options, specified as heat pumps, which may affect higher investment costs, although frequently lower operating costs (depending on energy prices).

What next with Clean Air?

The future of Clean Air in 2025 seems uncertain. On the 1 hand, we have alarming data on the decrease in the number of applications and concerns about the "fall", reported by the Polish Smog Alarm. On the another hand, the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management ensures that the situation is temporary and results from the essential reforms aimed at curing the programme after the detection of many abuses.

It will be crucial to monitor whether the number of applications will increase in the coming months and the payment problems will be resolved. The effectiveness of reforms in the fight against fraud and the simultaneous maintenance of the programme in an accessible way for citizens and businesses is simply a immense challenge. The success of Clean Air depends on the pace of improvement of air quality in Poland and the accomplishment of climate objectives.