Over 5 000 residents of Hancesti district have access to renewable energy thanks to EU assistance

January 19, 2018

Eight villages from Hancesti district connected their schools, kindergartens, and mayoralties to biomass heating systems replacing the gas or coal ones. Two communities succeeded to connect all their public institutions to green energy.  The change was possible with the European Union assistance provided through Moldova Energy and Biomass Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.

Project beneficiaries met at Cotul Morii village to discuss the impact of transferring the public institutions to green energy and the perspectives of the upcoming renewable energy investment projects.  

"I am extremely happy that 12 public institutions - schools, kindergartens and mayoralties - from Hancesti district have participated actively in our Biomass project and are connected to biomass heating systems. Congratulations to all of you for taking this step and participating in this wave of development of renewable energies in the Republic of Moldova, to the benefit of your citizens", said Peter Michalko, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova.

The school and kindergarten in Cotul Morii, rebuilt after the 2010 floods, were connected to biomass heating systems. More than 250 children and teaching staff enjoy being in classrooms heated with locally produced biofuel. “I am very proud we use clean energy produced in our country and that the money paid for biofuel stays here, in the country. Moreover, the heating delivery is reliable. We have local energy autonomy”, stated Lucia Gustiuc, Mayor of Cotul Morii village.

Cotul Morii is one of the 8 rural communities in Hancesti district that connected its school and kindergarten to biofuel based heating systems. “I would like to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of Hancesti district, which is one of the most active in using green energy. Thanks to your collective and decisive efforts, 5,600 people from 8 villages have access to green energy produced locally”, said Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for the Republic of Moldova.

Two kindergartens, one school and the mayoralty of Crasnoarmeiscoe village are heated with biomass energy. All started in 2012 when the first kindergarten was connected to green energy. Having a space over 900 m2, the institution was heated with wood and coal stoves. Due to outdated heating system, children and teachers spent winters in barely heated rooms. Thanks to the new biomass based heating system, children are not freezing anymore in classes during winters. “The example of this kindergarten motivated us to extend the green energy projects to all public institutions in the community. School and kindergarten infrastructure is modernized, the community is developing, and people want to stay in the village”, noted Alexandru Todoseiciuc, Mayor of Crasnoarmeiscoe village.

12 public institutions from Hancesti district are heated with biomass energy, and two have access to hot water produced by solar energy. Overall, 5 600 people from 8 villages (Carpineni, Crasnoarmeiscoe, Cotul Morii, Dancu, Dragusenii Noi, Loganesti, Boghiceni and Obileni) enjoy improved heating comfort thanks to the European Union support. The investments of the Moldova Energy and Biomass Project in Hancesti district accounted for EUR 560.742 of European funds, whilst the communities’ contribution accounts for a total of EUR 153.820.

Being part of the Energy and Biomass Project favours us double. We have more efficient heating systems than the old ones, which have allowed us to reduce the costs of social and educational institutions. New opportunities for economic agents in the agrarian and small and medium enterprises sectors have been created. Now, agricultural wastes are no longer burned in the field, but transformed into biofuel. Finally, new jobs are created, revenue for local budgets are increased and local infrastructure is upgraded,” said Ghenadie Buza, President of Hancesti district.

Hancesti district is one of 33 districts that benefited from the Moldova Energy and Biomass Project.  209 schools, kindergartens, community centers, hospitals from the country replaced gas and coal heating with biomass based heating systems, contributing thus, to local economic development, enhanced energy security of the country and environment protection.    

Moldova Energy and Biomass Project, phase II, is a three-year project implemented during 2015-2017.  The total budget of the Project is 9.41 million Euro funded by the European Union and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme. It is a continuation of Project’s Phase I implemented in 2011-2014, with a total budget of 14.56 million Euro, funded by the European Union (14 million Euro) and UNDP (560,000 Euro). The national partner of the Energy and Biomass Project is the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure.

The EU4Energy Initiative covers all EU support to improve energy supply, security and connectivity, as well as to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables in the Eastern Partner countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It does this by financing projects and programmes that help to reform energy markets and to reduce national energy dependence and consumption. Over the longer term, this makes energy supply more reliable, transparent and affordable, thus reducing energy poverty and energy bills for both citizens and the private sector. More information on: www.EU4Energy.eu

Over 5 000 residents of Hancesti district have access to renewable energy thanks to EU assistance