In the launch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said that it is important that Moldova to join renewable energy projects. “The more efficient use of energy increases competitiveness, if we speak about enterprises, and people’s welfare as the bills are lower when it is consumed less and more efficiently,” he stated.
EU Ambassador to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said the European climate and energy objectives envision that 20% of the energy consumption will be ensured by renewable sources of energy by 2020. “The European Union has never been a foreign policy project. This is rather a project to improve the living standards and offer opportunities for the people, and the energy sector is very important in this respect. The benefits of renewable energy must be clear to everyone,” he stated.
Nicolae Zaharia, specialist in business development for the EU – UNDP Energy and Biomass Project, noted that when choosing the fuel, one should take into account the increase in thermal comfort and the impact on the environment. Compared with 2011, the number of biomass producers rose from 15 to 100, while the produced quantity – from 20 tonnes to 1,000-4,000 tonnes a year per producer. Biomass is a substitute for coal. “In villages, the efficiency of fuel may be not the expected one not because of fuel, but because of the stove. We must think about more parameters such as the loss of heat in the homes, the burning solution, the choice of boiler and of fuel,” Nicolae Zaharia stated for IPN.
Alexandre Darras, who is responsible for the management of European energy and biomass projects, has told IPN that there are two aspects when speaking about sustainable energy – the way it is used (optimization of the insulation system for conserving heat), and the choice of the renewable energy that can be solar, wind, geothermal or from biomass. “A long-term strategy is needed in the case of sustainable energy. We must not be afraid to make large investments initially as they will bring considerable savings in three years,” he stated, adding that there are many opportunities, including profitable credit lines, for those who want to switchover to biomass energy.
The EU Sustainable Energy Week is organized by the EU Delegation to Moldova, the Government of Moldova, the City Halls of Chisinau and Balti, and other partners.
