New heating system invented in Moldova allows citizens to pay lower energy bills

A man from the Republic of Moldova has invented a new heating system that collects sunlight and warmth and converts them into thermal energy. This allows consumers to pay lower energy bills.

The solar collector was created by Vladimir Ursu from the Rural Renaissance Public Association. The domestic innovation was carried out and tested with the support of the EU Confidence-Building Measures program, implemented by UNDP.

The new system significantly contributes to increasing energy efficiency and is recommended for heating homes, public institutions, and industrial halls. It helps reduce energy costs and promotes green energy. The installation cost is around 24,000 lei, but the daily electricity consumption is only 2 lei.


'This collector consists of evacuated glass tubes initially used for heating domestic hot water, and we’ve modified them to heat air. The air is propelled through these evacuated tubes, taking the air from inside the room, heating it, and returning it. On sunny winter days, this is possible,' explained Vladimir Ursu.


Such collectors have already been installed in Bălți and Râbnița. Tests showed that in December, the homeowner paid 6,000 lei for gas heating with a thermal plant, while in January, which was quite sunny paid only 2,000 lei.

The solar collector is efficient during the day, while another thermal energy source is needed at night. Vitalie Boico is one of the beneficiaries of the solar collector.

In the cold season, the solar collector generates warm air, which can be used as thermal energy for heating spaces during the day. In summer, the warm air produced can serve to dry fruits and vegetables, offering valuable opportunities for local entrepreneurship development.

In 2024, the Rural Renaissance Public Association received a grant of 15,000 euros under the Confidence-Building Measures program.