The Ministry of Energy aims to develop sandboxes in the Republic of Moldova to test new energy and decarbonization solutions. The idea was discussed with representatives of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, a US-based investment fund that supports small and medium-sized companies.

The fund is researching new investment opportunities in the Republic of Moldova, including in innovative companies and technologies in energy efficiency and renewable energy. In this context, Minister Victor Parlicov presented the Sandbox concept, designed to encourage innovation in the field.

The future priorities of the Energy Ministry are to reduce energy bills through energy efficiency measures and the implementation of innovative technologies, said Minister Victor Parlicov. The official gave the example of an electric car, the battery of which can also serve as an energy generator for a house on the ground.

"We need enthusiasts experimenting with different ideas and other enthusiasts who want to apply those ideas, and a regulatory framework to help them work together. I saw such a center in the Netherlands. Most future technologies are not yet on the market. Some we know, many initiatives are just about to be formalized. We plan to develop such innovation centers in Moldova as well, in the context that we have declared that we want to achieve climate neutrality or net zero carbon emissions by 2050," said Minister Victor Parlicov. Another example from the Netherlands concerns the storage of heat/hot water in underground reservoirs for use during the cold season.

To start such projects requires a special law, applicable for a specific territory, but not necessarily, decision-makers to oversee and minimize risks and the involvement of business people, the minister said. Examples of Sandboxes are in Portugal, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the Ministry of Energy will take these experiences into account to develop its own concept.
"Now many business people see solar panels as the only solution to reduce bills, we at the ministry want to offer a vision for the future. Panels are not a viable solution, we have technical limits of the grid, we will have to find other sustainable solutions", added the Energy Minister.