First Center of Excellence in Energy Efficiency inaugurated in Feştelița, with EU support

Chisinau, 15 October /MOLDPRES/- Feștelița locality, Ștefan Vodă district, became the first smart energy village in the Republic of Moldova, with the support of the European Union, and the community benefits from an additional source of income for the locals. This is after the Center of Excellence in Energy Efficiency was inaugurated in Feşteliţa, opened in the context of the European Climate Diplomacy Week and the European Sustainable Energy Week.

The above-mentioned Center of Excellence, created with the financial support of the EU, is unique in Moldova. It consists of ten types of demonstration subprojects in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy: intelligent street lighting, photovoltaic park, on-grid panels, biomass-based boilers, solar collectors. Such a representative project contributes to building a secure future for energy, and similar achievements are part of the priorities of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) agenda, which takes place annually across Europe.

"The creation of the Center of Excellence in Energy Efficiency in the village of Feștelița, with EU support, is a remarkable example of combining energy efficiency and locally produced green renewable energy. This integrated approach has the benefits of engaging in a green transition, which will ensure a better quality of life for citizens, more resources available for the local budget and, at the same time, help address climate change and energy security issues. We are glad to see that the support of the European Union has created opportunities for the realization of this successful initiative ", said Jānis Mažeiks, Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova.

The center is, at the country level, a model for the exchange of good practices in the field of energy efficiency. Thus, with the financial support of the European Union, Feștelița became the first energy-efficient village in the country, with four buildings of local public institutions corresponding to the nZEB label (buildings with almost zero energy consumption), and Feștelița City Hall - the first local public authority which manages a photovoltaic park. All about three thousand locals enjoy better living conditions, education and work.

The community annually produces electricity of about 384 MWh / year, records, estimated, energy savings of about 647 MWh / year and over 1,000,000 lei - profit in the local budget. Thanks to the European Union, the village of Feștelița obtains an additional source of income from which the local population benefits.

„Excellence in Energy Efficiency - this is what we wanted to achieve in Feștelița and to prove that it can be possible in the villages of Moldova. Together with the community we overcame the existing stereotypes and with the financial support of the EU, our village switched to the types of eco-energy ", revealed the mayor of the locality, Nicolae Tudoreanu.

The total cost of the project in Feştelița is eight hundred thousand euros, of which five hundred thousand euros is a grant provided by the European Union, and three hundred thousand euros was the national and local contribution through the Energy Efficiency Agency. , Ștefan Vodă District Council, the village authorities and its inhabitants. These investments contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, by 465 tons / year, which is 52% less than in 2011.

Photo: ADR Sud