Energy, biomass project one of the most efficient in Moldova

Chisinau, 21 April /MOLDPRES/ - The Energy and Biomass Project (PEB) is one of the most visible and efficient projects in Moldova. Yet, there are more possibilities to develop this project all over the country, including by implementing new forms of partnership with local public authorities, legal entities and private persons. Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic made statements to this effect at a today’s meeting of the project’s council.  

According to the Economics Ministry’s press service, the participants in the meeting approved an action plan on project’s activity for 2016, and unveiled an amendment to the draft project, approved by the European Union Delegation in Moldova, which provides new opportunities in carrying out the project’s provisions.  

Referring to the activities due to be carried out in 2016, project manager Victor Cotruta said that increased attention would be paid to monitoring the work of the biomass systems, improving their logistic supply, in order to raise the level of their efficiency. The PEB Council also ruled to implement nine public-private partnerships in the heating supply sector.  

The second stage of the Energy and Biomass project is a replica of this first one and is set to provide 80 public institutions with heating systems on bio-fuel, made in Moldova and with 21 solar collectors, due to supply kindergartens and health centres with warm water.    

The director of the Energy Efficiency Agency, Mihai Stratan, said that the work in terms of subsidizing the purchasing of boilers on bio-fuel for Moldovan households and micro-enterprises would be resumed on 17 May. A number of up to 150 boilers working on solid bio-fuel are scheduled to be financed for the concerned round, with preference given to boilers with an increased productivity and higher autonomy. The subsidy will remain 1,300 euros in the case of boilers running on pellets and will drop to 500 euros in the ones working on briquettes. 

The Energy and Biomass project, the second phase, is seen for three years and is to be carried out in 2015-2017. The project has a budget of 9.41 million euros, provided by the European Union, and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The first stage of the project, implemented in 2011-2014, had a budget of 14.56 million euros, of which 14 million was offered by the European Union and 560,000 euros – by UNDP.  

(Reporter A. Mardare, editor M. Jantovan)