The Ministry of Energy hosted a meeting in Chișinău today focused on developing support mechanisms for investments in electricity storage capacity. The discussions were attended by State Secretaries Carolina Novac and Vitalie Mîța, President of the Romanian Competition Council Bogdan Chirițoiu, President of the Competition Council of the Republic of Moldova Alina Cebotariov, as well as representatives of the Organisation for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA) and the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE).

Participants discussed the state aid mechanisms that the Republic of Moldova is preparing to encourage investment in battery energy storage, an essential component for integrating larger volumes of renewable energy into the national electricity system.

The meeting also examined Romania’s experience and European best practices in supporting investments in energy storage infrastructure, as well as ways to implement such instruments in compliance with competition and state aid rules.

The mechanisms currently under development envisage financial instruments to be provided through ODA to facilitate investors’ access to financing. These include guarantees to partially compensate bank interest costs, as well as financial guarantees for loans contracted for the installation of energy storage systems.

“The Republic of Moldova has surpassed 1 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, and the development of storage solutions is becoming the natural next step in strengthening the flexibility and security of the electricity system. We aim to create effective instruments that will mobilise private investment and accelerate the deployment of energy storage technologies,” said State Secretary Carolina Novac.

For his part, State Secretary Vitalie Mîța highlighted the importance of cooperation between institutions responsible for energy, competition and business development in designing effective support schemes compatible with European rules.

The discussions also addressed compensation mechanisms for combined heat and power plants, which are expected to be applied following the liberalisation of the electricity market and the loss of priority dispatch. Participants also discussed greenhouse gas emissions pricing mechanisms in the context of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

The meeting forms part of the Republic of Moldova’s broader efforts to accelerate the energy transition, integrate larger volumes of renewable energy and strengthen energy security by developing the infrastructure required for a modern and resilient energy system.