Moldova expands renewable energy with 90 mw photovoltaic plants
The Government is expected to approve, by the end of January, the decision to construct two photovoltaic power plants with a combined capacity of 90 MW.
One plant, with a capacity of 50 MW, is set to be built in Rădeni, Strășeni district, while the other, with a capacity of 40 MW, will be constructed in Negureni, Telenești district.
Both plants are expected to be completed within approximately 10 months, making them operational by the end of this year. The Government’s draft decisions are subject to public consultations until January 15, after which the Executive could vote on them.
The Republic of Moldova lacks traditional energy resources and has yet to fully harness its renewable energy potential. Wind, solar, and biomass are the most important domestic resources for generating locally produced energy. According to the Ministry of Energy, the total technical potential of renewable energy sources is estimated at approximately 65 TWh, enough to fully meet the primary energy demand. Currently, renewable energy produced in the country accounts for more than 12% of total energy consumption.
The Republic of Moldova has set an ambitious goal of sourcing 30% of its energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030.
The capacity of photovoltaic power plants has almost doubled in 2024.
In 2024, the installed capacity for renewable energy production in the Republic of Moldova rose by more than 55% compared to the previous year, with the most notable progress seen in the photovoltaic sector.
According to data from the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED), the capacity surpassed 321 MW, a sixfold increase. Out of the total 383 MW, photovoltaic plants make up 206 MW, and wind farms account for 154 MW.
Thus, in the first nine months of 2024, the capacity of photovoltaic plants grew from 185.4 MW in 2023 to 344 MW, almost doubling. The capacity of wind installations rose from 126 MW in 2023 to 154 MW in 2024, marking an increase of more than 22%.
Of these, photovoltaic plants with a capacity of 119.2 MW were installed under the fixed tariff support mechanism, while 84.5 MW were set up without any support mechanism, with electricity sold on the open market. Wind farms on the open market have a capacity of 128 MW, while those under the 2007 renewable energy law represent 25.9 MW.
Support Mechanisms for Green Energy Producers
In the Republic of Moldova, three support mechanisms are in place for green energy producers, guaranteeing the purchase of surplus energy fed into the grid and assisting them in recovering their investments:
- Net billing, which replaced the net metering mechanism as of January 1, 2024, applies to small producers with installations for self-consumption;
- A fixed tariff for 15 years – for parks and plants with up to 1 MW photovoltaic or 4 MW wind capacity;
- A fixed price, also valid for 15 years, for parks and plants exceeding 1 MW photovoltaic or 4 MW wind capacity, with allocations determined through auctions. The auction was launched in the summer of 2024 for a total capacity of 165 MW, comprising 105 MW for wind parks and 60 MW for photovoltaic plants.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
