Energy Minister Victor Parlicov paid a working visit to the Netherlands at the end of last week, together with the chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment, Climate and Green Transition, Ina Coșeru. The delegation held meetings with officials from the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate, the House of Representatives, non-governmental organizations and the Moldovan diaspora.

During the talks with Michel Heijdra, Director General for Climate and Energy at the Dutch Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate, as well as with members of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Climate Policy of the House of Representatives, the Moldovan delegation discussed European affairs, energy efficiency, climate and environment. In this context, the interest of the Republic of Moldova in deepening cooperation in the economic and energy fields, including the advancement of bilateral intergovernmental and interparliamentary relations, was expressed.

The Minister of Energy thanked the Government of the Netherlands for its support in the creation of the Energy Efficiency Fund in the residential sector, the development of the institutional capacities of enterprises in the energy sector, including in the segment of diversification of gas supply sources, projects related to the digitalization of the sector.

The legislation and practice of promoting investment in test centers for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, so-called Sandboxes, has been studied at Delft University. On a site of about two hectares, it provides technology testing services, mainly for the private sector, including green hydrogen generation and transportation. The work of such centers is regulated by special legislation, which encourages the rapid development of technologies that would normally be hindered by bureaucratic licensing and certification procedures. The center also has a sensor network installed, providing about 3 million data records for its researchers.

The Moldovan delegation also visited the Dutch Institute for International Relations Clingendael, which already has a good collaboration with several Moldovan NGOs, but also provides training for Moldovan civil servants. During the visit, the topics discussed were European integration, enlargement processes, energy crisis, energy system reform according to European practices, energy efficiency, including the transition to green energy, alternative import sources and renewables.