The signing of the agreements marks the start of the implementation phase of the Nefco – Eastern European Partnership for Energy Efficiency and the Environment (E5P) programme, ‘Energy-efficient refurbishment of educational institutions in local communities in the Republic of Moldova’. The programme aims to reduce energy consumption and costs for local authorities, as well as to improve learning and working conditions for children and staff. It also aims to strengthen local capacity, support community participation and foster the development of local knowledge, experience and expertise in the field of sustainable finance. E5P grants act as catalysts and reduce the financial burden on communities, complementing loans provided by Nefco and contributions from local budgets.
‘The Republic of Moldova has set itself ambitious energy efficiency targets under the Comprehensive National Energy and Climate Plan, including achieving annual energy savings of 0.8 per cent and the annual refurbishment of 3 per cent of the total floor area of central government buildings. Energy efficiency projects, such as this programme, help to translate these targets into concrete actions. Once implemented, the energy system modernisation measures will improve comfort levels in schools and nurseries, reduce electricity costs and allow the resources saved to be channelled towards other community needs. “With the support of Nefco, E5P and Sweden, these five municipalities can serve as an example for other localities in the Republic of Moldova that intend to invest in energy system modernisation,” said Nicolae Olar, Head of the Energy Efficiency Department at the Ministry of Energy.
How much money has been raised
Two schools and four nurseries will benefit from the energy system modernisation works. These measures will include thermal refurbishment of the buildings’ envelopes, modernisation of heating and lighting systems, the installation of heat pumps and photovoltaic solar panels, the installation of a modular biomass heating system, as well as various measures aimed at improving accessibility for children with disabilities.
The total investment under the programme amounts to approximately €2.95 million. This sum comprises €1.39 million in loans from Nefco, €1.10 million in E5P grants and approximately €458,000 in contributions from local authorities. Sweden is funding technical assistance for the preparation and implementation of the programme. Support for the implementation of the projects will be provided by Norsk Energi in collaboration with the Alliance for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (AEER) of the Republic of Moldova.
What will be the outcome?
‘The signing of these agreements marks an important step from project preparation to implementation. The planned investments will improve learning conditions for children and working conditions for staff, whilst reducing energy consumption and running costs for local authorities. Together with E5P, Sweden and our local partners, we are supporting these communities in achieving tangible improvements in energy efficiency that will deliver long-term environmental and economic benefits,” said Vitalii Artyushchenko, Programme Manager at Nefco.
The programme will help to reduce energy losses, fossil fuel consumption and pollutant emissions, as well as improve air quality and thermal comfort in educational establishments. The investment will also support the Republic of Moldova’s efforts to strengthen energy security and develop a more efficient and sustainable public sector. The planned measures are estimated to enable five local authorities to save a total of around 5.54 million Moldovan lei per year. The resources saved can be redirected towards the upkeep of the institutions and other priority areas of local development.
During the project preparation phase, the needs of the selected institutions were assessed in detail, business plans were drawn up, and measures with the greatest potential for reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and costs were identified. Following the signing of the agreements, the beneficiary municipalities will proceed with the development of technical designs, the procurement of works and the selection of contractors, followed by the execution of construction works.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
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