New mechanism of invoicing renewable energy to be enforced in Moldova as of 1 January 2024

Chisinau, 20 September /MOLDPRES/ - A new mechanism of invoicing the renewable energy will be enforced starting from 1 January 2024. This will be possible, after the government today approved amendments to the Law on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.   

Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said the new mechanism, named ‘’net invoicing,’’ became simpler from the technical viewpoint, yet, at the same time, less attractive from the financial one. This implies that the price for the electric energy generated in the network by the holders of solar panels will be different from the price for the energy they will subsequently receive from the network.     

„We had cases when household consumers and the business oversized the solar panels set. Each kilowatt someone has additionally put is minus one kilowatt of power someone who would consume this energy at his/her consumption place can set. What we introduce new now is that the price with which owners of panels will give energy will not coincide with the one they will pay, when they take the energy from the network. And this is essential, as so far, the exchange of kilowatt with kilowatt has been made and the higher the tariff was, the quicker the investment in solar panels was recovered. Now, when you will generate, you will sell the energy into the net for one price and when you consume, you will consume in the network with another price,’’ Victor Parlicov said.       

The exact price paid by the consumer will be established by the National Energy Regulatory Energy (ANRE).  

At the same time, Victor Parlicov noted that those who had already initiated investments for setting solar panels and would manage to five final touches to all procedures needed till the end of this year, would be able to benefit from the conditions of the mechanism of net metering for another four years. ‘’There are a lot of people who initiated investments in solar panels, there ones who started construction works, took notification for connection. As they launched the investments based on the rules in force at that moment, so as not to apply other conditions, we suggest that those who manage to finish these investments till the end of this year should benefit from the mechanism of net metering for another four years, as this is how our calculations look – that the investment is recovered in about four years,’’ the minister said.     

The amendments approved by the cabinet today also see that the owners of apartments from multi-storied blocks will be able to set renewable energy parks for their own consumption. They will be able to live at another address than the place of consumption, provided that both addresses are in the area of the same provider.  

At the same time, the amendments formulated will allow creating big wind and photovoltaic parks in Moldova. The draft was approved, given that Moldova established as target for 2030 that not less than 30 per cent of the volume of electric energy consumed should be from renewable sources. Presently, the renewable energy account for 6 per cent of all consumption.  

The draft is to be considered in parliament.