Energy saving certificates (CEE): the supplier subsidy scheme explained

How CEE works

French law requires energy suppliers (EDF, Engie, TotalEnergies, ENI, and others) to achieve defined energy-saving targets each year across the country. One way they meet these targets is by funding energy-efficiency improvements in homes: heat pumps, insulation, heating controls, ventilation. When they fund a qualifying project, they receive energy savings certificates in return, which count towards their legal obligation.

The energy suppliers have an incentive to offer CEE funding because the alternative is paying penalties. For homeowners, this means money is available: the supplier pays a portion of the installation cost, either as a direct deduction from the invoice or as a separate payment after the work is completed.

How to access it

In practice, you rarely deal with the energy supplier directly. Your contractor handles the CEE application as part of the installation process and passes the benefit on to you, either by deducting it from the quoted price or by telling you to expect a cheque from the supplier after completion. Some contractors have established relationships with particular suppliers (called "obligated parties" or obligees) and process CEE in bulk.

The key requirement on your side: you must not have started the work before the CEE application is submitted. Like MaPrimeRenov', CEE cannot be claimed retrospectively for completed work.

What work is eligible

The eligible work list overlaps significantly with MaPrimeRenov':

• Heat pumps (air-source and ground-source)
• Insulation: roof, walls, floors
• VMC double flux (heat-recovery ventilation)
• Heating controls and thermostats
• Condensing boilers (in some circumstances)

Each work type has a standardised sheet (fiche) that defines the technical specifications required, the minimum performance thresholds, and the standard amount of energy savings attributed to the measure. The amount of CEE funding you receive is based on these standardised values, not on actual measured savings.

The RGE requirement

As with MaPrimeRenov', you must use a contractor holding the relevant RGE certification. The same contractor qualification requirements apply. CEE and MaPrimeRenov' can be claimed for the same project, provided the contractor meets both schemes' requirements. Stacking them is common practice and reduces the net cost of installation significantly.

CEE and MaPrimeRenov' combined

The two schemes are designed to work together. A heat pump installation, for example, might attract a MaPrimeRenov' grant of several thousand euros depending on your income band, and a separate CEE contribution handled by the contractor. Together, they can cover a substantial fraction of the total cost, particularly for lower-income households.

The amounts are not fixed in a simple table: they depend on the type of work, the location of the property, the heating zone, and the current CEE funding levels, which vary as energy suppliers adjust their offers. Your contractor should be able to tell you what CEE is available for the specific installation they're quoting. For current rates and an independent overview of the scheme, the official consumer energy information service at energie-info.fr is a useful reference.

Related terms

• MaPrimeRenov': the government grant that can be stacked with CEE for the same project
• RGE certification: required for contractors under both schemes
• Devis: the signed quote that must be in place before work starts for both grant applications