The Republic of Moldova will cooperate with Poland in the field of energy efficiency. A Memorandum in this regard was signed today in Chisinau between the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Poland. The document involves strengthening cooperation in the energy transition, focusing on the energy efficiency of buildings and the decarbonization process to support the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union.

 

During the signing ceremony, Minister Victor Parlicov emphasized that the Memorandum will contribute to attracting new investments in the building sector, therefore it will have an impact on the economic development of the entire country, while strengthening strategic cooperation in areas of common interest.

 

“Centralized heating systems in Moldova, in terms of technical parameters, are some of the most efficient. However, this is not felt at the consumer level, because the heat distribution systems inside the blocks have not yet been modernized, and the blocks have low energy efficiency. Thus, our goal is to create better conditions and increase the thermal comfort of consumers. For the modernization of apartment buildings and investments in energy efficiency with the support of development partners, in Chisinau alone we have allocated funding of over 300 million euros,” said Victor Parlicov.

 

The memorandum also includes several concrete areas of cooperation, including the exchange of knowledge and best practices in the field of energy efficiency of buildings between Poland and the Republic of Moldova, legislative solutions and business models, exploring financing opportunities for energy efficiency projects, organizing workshops and training courses focused on energy efficiency, as well as support for the implementation of IT tools for the energy efficiency of buildings and assistance in conducting energy performance audits and certifications.

 

The Memorandum was signed during the Moldova-Poland Business Forum, organized by the Investment Agency, in partnership with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), the Ministry of Development and Technology of Poland and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Chisinau.

 

At the beginning of the Forum, Minister Victor Parlicov emphasized the importance of Moldovan-Polish cooperation, which will bring benefits for the development of the energy sector. The Minister reiterated the importance of productive cooperation between Moldova and Poland, which has also contributed to the efficient management of the energy crisis and the diversification of energy supply sources.

 

“Things in our region are evolving very quickly and the energy sector is one of the most dynamic in this regard. We have overcome the moment when we were discussing crisis management, now we are focusing on the development of the entire sector. Today we are in a broad process of liberalization and creation of markets that offer many business opportunities,” Victor Parlicov said at the beginning of the event.

 

In Moldova, the building sector is the largest energy consumer, accounting for almost 50% of final energy consumption, and a quarter of this energy is lost due to low energy efficiency. Investments in this area will bring tangible benefits, by improving thermal comfort and reducing bills for citizens, thus demonstrating the advantages of integration into the European Union.

 

We recall that Moldova has assumed the objective of annually making 0.8% of the building surface in the country energy efficient. In this regard, the Moldovan Residential Energy Efficiency Fund (MEEF) was launched, which provides grants for improving energy efficiency in apartment blocks and individual houses, with over half a million square meters of residential space to be rehabilitated over the next three years. At the same time, several projects dedicated to public buildings are underway, including the "Moldova Energy Efficiency Project" (MEEP) which focuses on energy modernization and optimization of energy consumption in 10 medical institutions of national importance, the "Sustainable Transition to Energy Efficiency in Moldova" (STEEM) project which involves the energy renovation of 46 schools across the country, as well as the Initiative for the Development of Sustainable Public Infrastructure through Energy Efficiency Renovations (INSPIREE) which involves the renovation of 25 public buildings in the country to improve energy efficiency.