EcoVoucher replaced over 42,000 old appliances, helping lower energy bills
More than 40,000 households in Moldova have upgraded their old appliances to more energy-efficient models through the EcoVoucher program, resulting in lower electricity bills. Ion Muntean, the Director of the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED), noted that this initiative generates annual savings estimated in the tens of millions of lei and significantly decreases energy consumption.
“The program has reached over 42,500 beneficiaries, who have replaced an old, energy-inefficient household appliance, and, cumulatively, the annual energy savings that these beneficiaries accumulate exceed 37 million lei. So, a program that has a positive impact”, declared Ion Muntean, on the show “Bună dimineața” on Moldova 1.
Beneficiaries are selected automatically, based on energy vulnerability criteria, provided that they are registered in the information system for energy compensation.
“The idea of the program is to offer, in the simplest possible, digital manner, a voucher for beneficiaries that the state considers a priority, applying a set of energy vulnerability criteria”, specified the CNED director.
The value of the voucher is currently 6,000 lei and can cover up to 70% of the cost of a high-energy-efficiency refrigerator or washing machine.
The program is funded by the European Union, and household appliances purchased through EcoVoucher are exempt from VAT.
Ion Muntean emphasized that one of the mandatory conditions of the program is the handing over of the old household appliance.
"The beneficiary goes to one of the partner stores and redeems this voucher, which covers up to 70% of the value of the eligible household appliance. Together with the store, they organize the delivery of the new equipment and the takeover of the old equipment. However, a condition of the program is to offer, in exchange, old equipment to ensure that, in the future, that equipment does not end up in the field or in the landfill, but is recovered in a sustainable manner,", explained the director of CNED.
In light of the growing issue of online fraud, content creator Valeriu Rașcu has urged individuals to verify the authenticity of messages they receive and to seek assistance from family members if they are not familiar with technology.
"Recently, unfortunately, many citizens have lost their belongings through phishing calls, SMS messages, or links that direct them to fraudulent websites where they may be defrauded of their money," said Rașcu.
He also mentioned that the third episode of the miniseries "Where We Waste Energy," which focuses on the EcoVoucher program, serves an educational purpose for the public.
"If we do not fully understand technology or are unsure how to verify the authenticity of certain messages, we should either consult someone who is more knowledgeable in this area or follow the steps outlined in the video," he advised.
The National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED) urges citizens who have not yet registered for the compensation system to follow the official pages of the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Labor, and the National Center for Sustainable Energy. This way, they will be informed about the opening of new application sessions to register on time.
The EcoVoucher Program was developed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova with support from the European Union.
This edition of the Household Appliance Voucher Program is implemented by the National Center for Sustainable Energy as part of the project "Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies for Moldova" (E4M), which is financed by the European Union.
E4M is a project carried out by GIZ in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, funded by the Government of Germany, and co-financed by the European Union, Norway, and Denmark.
