As noted at the hearings of the Parliamentary Commission for Economy, Budget and Finance, reducing energy consumption directly reduces the burden on the budget by reducing the need to pay compensations, which cost 2.9 billion lei annually. Moreover, each leu invested in energy efficiency brings more than 4 lei in economic benefits – through reduced consumption, job creation and economic growth.
Vitalie Mytsa, State Secretary of the Energy Ministry, said that energy efficiency directly enhances the country’s energy security by reducing dependence on external shocks.
Since the residential sector accounts for 48% of the total energy consumption, of which about 70% is used for heating, it is here that the greatest potential for savings is concentrated. Audits show that in some cases consumption can be reduced by up to 55%, effectively halving bills – much more than the 5-10% reduction in tariffs discussed by experts and politicians.
One successful example is the voucher program for energy-efficient household appliances. About 40,000 families have already benefited from this program, reducing their total energy costs by about 30 million lei per year.
For her part, the ministry’s state secretary, Caroline Novak, emphasized that Moldova’s energy intensity is twice as high as the European one, which means that the country actually imports more gas than it could.
“This is due, among other things, to the fact that most of the housing stock was built before the 1990s and does not meet modern energy efficiency standards,” Novak said.
She believes that investments in reducing consumption have the greatest long-term effect – both for citizens and the budget.
