Structural transformation in Saxony
Modern regions for people of all generations in Saxony.
Saxony plays a role in two of the three lignite mining districts in Germany, with the Central German district in the west and the Lusatian district in the east of the Free State. This makes it the state most affected by the consequences of prematurely ending the mining of lignite and its use for power generation in Germany.
Regions with prospects
Structural development in the affected regions is an extremely important and complex task. The challenge is to develop the Saxon parts of the Lusatian and Central German coal-mining districts into regions with modern jobs and high-quality living for the post-lignite mining and power generation era. This will create the conditions for investments that will secure stable and significant shares in the value chains for these regions over the long term.
Together from the ground up.
The Sächsische Agentur für Strukturentwicklung (Saxon Agency for Structural Development (SAS)) was founded in November 2019 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Free State of Saxony and the Sächsische Aufbaubank – Förderbank – SAB.
The agency operates under the responsibility of the Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development (SMR). SAS has been assigned the task of conducting the annual project selection procedures for implementing the Coal Regions Investment Act (InvKG) and supporting initiators of structural development projects in the two lignite mining districts as an advisor and facilitator, collector of ideas and catalyst. SAS supports regional stakeholders in matters ranging from project concepts to planning and implementation.
SAS adheres to the Public Corporate Governance Code of the Free State of Saxony, which contains obligations, recommendations and suggestions for the governing bodies of participating companies.
The regions must become places with a high quality of life if we are to attract and retain skilled workers.
Jörg Mühlberg
Managing Director of the
Saxon Agency for Structural Development (SAS)
We are supporting the structural transformation process, which began in the Saxon mining areas with the federal Coal Regions Investment Act (InvKG) in 2020 as part of Germany’s lignite phase-out. Our core mission is to support project sponsors who wish to apply for financial assistance under Chapter 1 of the Investment Act, i.e. for significant investments to address structural change and secure employment amid the phase-out of lignite mining. As an advisor, facilitator, collector of ideas and catalyst, we support investments from concept through planning and implementation to the completion of projects in close cooperation with the Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development, the Sächsische Aufbaubank and many regional stakeholders.
You can contact our teams directly at our locations in Weißwasser, Borna, Leipzig and Dresden.
Modern regions for future
and present generations.
* Residents in the Saxon parts of the mining districts
Funding for Saxony’s lignite mining districts
We support projects from concept through to implementation.
The Saxon Cabinet approved the “Funding Guidelines for Grants under the Coal Regions Investment Act – RL InvKG” on 27 April 2021. These guidelines govern the selection and support of investment projects aimed at structural transformation in the two Saxon lignite mining districts. Eligible applicants include municipalities and their companies, as well as public and private entities whose projects serve public functions funded by the Structural Development Act for Coal-Mining Regions.
Support for project sponsors
SAS supports project sponsors in the mining districts in the development and qualification of their projects. Following consultation with an interministerial working group (IMAG) of the state government, the regional monitoring committees select projects for funding based on a scoring system. Selected projects can then apply for funding through the Sächsische Aufbaubank – Förderbank (SAB). SAS serves as a guide and advisor for project initiators, helping them to bring their projects to the application and implementation stages.
Development. Together from the ground up.
