Republic of Moldova

40 mayors and directors of schools and kindergartens visited Antonesti village from Stefan Voda rayon to see how biomass-based boilers function in practice

November 14, 2011, Chisinau - over 40 mayors and directors of schools and kindergartens from 17 villages, which will heat their public institutions with biomass-based energy visited Antonesti village from Stefan Voda rayon to see on the spot how a biomass-based heating system functions.

Antonesti village from Stefan Voda rayon has been heating its school, kindergarten, art center, and church for four years with locally produced straw-based energy. “Gas-based heating costs a lot. As there is no enough money, there were days when children would freeze when studying. The alternative solution to have heating based on energy produced from agricultural waste is a very good one. Since 2008, pupils and teachers have being studying and working in warm environment during winter time. We pay twice less for the biomass-based heating than we used to pay for gas-based heating”, declared Nadejda Morari, the director of the school from Antonesti.

The mayors and managers of public institutions saw how biomass-based boilers function, visited the heating station, the storage facility for straw bales, and the premises heated with biomass-based energy. They have also received answers to all their questions regarding the functioning and maintenance of the system, as well as useful pieces of advice on establishing viable relations with the local entrepreneurs.

“This is an extremely useful visit. It is for the first time when I saw how an institution is heated with straw-based energy. The experience of Antonesti village is relevant and important for us. It will help us use at maximum the energy potential of biomass, thus ensuring a cost-effective and environmental friendly heating solution for our buildings”, told us Tatiana Gorgos, the mayor of Sarata-Noua village, Leova rayon.

The persons who visited Antonesti represent the first 17 villages which will heat their public institutions with biomass-based energy with the support of the Energy and Biomass Project, funded by the European Union. The localities are from the following rayons: Stefan Voda, Leova, Cantemir, and ATU Gagauz Yeri – these are the first regions where the Energy and Biomass Project started its activity. During the implementation period, 2011-2014, all the rayons of the Republic of Moldova will be covered, at least 130 rural public institutions will be connected to heating systems based on agricultural waste, especially straw. The biggest part of expenses incurred for installing the heating systems will be covered by the project, while the community will contribute with a minimum of 15% of the total cost.

The energy produced from own resources has a number of benefits. It reduces dependency on imports, increases country’s energy security, has lower costs, allows for new businesses to develop and creates new jobs. In addition, the energy from renewable sources reduces greenhouse gas emissions and decreases environment pollution. The Moldova Energy and Biomass Project will be implemented over a period of 4 years, 2011-2014, and is funded by the European Union and co-funded and implemented by UNDP Moldova. The total budget of the project is 14.56 million euro, granted by the European Union (14 million euro) and UNDP Moldova (560,000 euro).

For more information, please contact: Ina Prisacaru-Zglavuta, Communication and Media Officer, Energy and Biomass Project, Tel: (+373 69)141006, ina.zglavuta@undp.org