Bpifrance is enhancing its guarantee offerings to facilitate the transition of businesses towards a low-carbon economy. The Guarantee Direction has established a financing guarantee program, called the Green Guarantee, designed to support projects and investments related to the ecological and energy transition.

This program is targeting a wide range of businesses, including those that have been registered for over a year with a transition project, solution providers (such as those in the renewable energy, recycling, and sustainable mobility sectors), as well as newly established companies.

By strengthening the Green Guarantee, Bpifrance continues to support its banking partners by guaranteeing up to 80% of the funds granted. This initiative is part of the broader Climate Plan, which was launched in 2020.

The Green Guarantee was developed in close collaboration with the Guarantee, Climate, and Digital Directions. Their expertise was instrumental in defining the eligibility criteria and structuring the program. Training sessions were conducted for regional climate coordinators to ensure a deep understanding of the nuances of the Green Guarantee.

Bpifrance’s medium-term goal is for the Green Guarantee to account for 20% of guarantees issued to financial institutions. To obtain a Token attestation, companies must demonstrate their eligibility through a digital pathway. The digital platform enables businesses to operate independently and determine the most appropriate path for their specific needs.

We created detailed questionnaires with precise eligibility criteria to determine whether a company or its project is green or not. We used the European Investment Bank’s Green Eligibility Checker as a basis for proposing thresholds and criteria for all three pathways. This new system is a way of encouraging banks to provide more support and finance for business transition projects.

The objective for this first year of the launch is to ensure that the Green Guarantee meets the expectations of businesses and their financial partners.