Moldova's energy transition gains momentum
The number of Moldovan households with solar panels has increased by approximately 300 times in 2022, compared to 2021, according to the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Energy Carolina Novac.
Novac said that the growing interest in renewable energy sources is due to the country's favourable conditions for this sector. She added that changes to the law on the promotion of renewable energy, which the Ministry of Energy is currently working on, will help to increase the number of users and wind turbines.
"The interest in installing renewable capacity has increased significantly, and this is a good thing because Moldova does not have fossil fuel resources," Novac said. "For us, the opportunity and the main solution in terms of the energy transition is to learn to invest in our own resources that we find on the country's territory. From a geographical point of view, our country has favourable conditions for installing solar and wind capacity."
Ion Muntean, director of the Energy Efficiency Agency, said that the maximum limit of renewable energy use can only be exceeded if Moldova develops an energy balancing system.
"Moldova, especially the right bank, does not have enough capacity to compensate for a lack of energy when renewable energy is not available," Muntean said. "For this reason, there are certain maximum limits on the capacity that can be installed today, and these will be increased as balancing capacity is developed."
The government's plan for the 2023-2024 heating season includes increasing the commercial capacity for electricity production at the border between Moldova and Romania and gradually increasing the volume of natural gas.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
