Over 160 SMEs of Moldova reduce energy bills with support of top – European bank, Sweden

Chisinau, 04 May /MOLDPRES/ – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has helped over 160 small and medium – sized enterprises (SMEs) in Moldova to become more energy efficient. A specialised programme, launched in 2009, financially supported by Swedish Government and administered by EBRD, provided most innovative and efficient energy ideas to domestic enterprises in agricultural business, construction, transport and tourism.  
A release of EBRD states that €2.2 million worth consultancy projects have been successfully deployed across Moldova, mostly in rural areas. They have significantly contributed to achieving main programme objectives: supporting development of Moldovan SMEs, increasing awareness for benefits of energy – efficient technologies and promoting rational use of energy resources. The participating local companies associated their production processes to EU standards.
"Sweden is a strategic partner for SMEs in Moldova in many areas, including energy efficiency. Due to grants for energy efficiency consultancy, over 160 businesses have been able to make their business more competitive by reducing energy consumption, cutting costs, ensuring greater resource efficiency and environmental management," said Sweden's Ambassador to Moldova, Signe Burgstaller.
Olsi hotel manager, Oleg Mihaniuc, which received project support, said that in 2016, as a result of increase in market demand, he decided to extend the hotel's facilities from 10 to 22 rooms. "Also, we wanted to use energy – saving technologies so that we can offer our customers better services at lower costs. The grant worth €10,000 from EBRD has funded business consultancy, completing renovation of our premises and utilities, reducing our energy bills by 25 per cent and sales have increased by 20 per cent," said Oleg Mihaniuc.
"The total 63 per cent of companies which implemented projects under programme reported a costs reduction in energy or energy consumption, while over 75 per cent of them showd an increase in turnover and 53 per cent of enterprises had productivity growth", said senior manager of Small Business Consulting Team, EBRD Moldova (ASB BERD Moldova) , Veronica Arpintin.
In 2018, ASB BERD Moldova will continue to provide advice to SMEs in Moldova, both within energy efficiency and other areas such as strategy, marketing, operations or technologies.
EBRD is the largest institutional investor in Moldova. So far, the Bank signed approximately 122 investments in Moldova, covering energy sector, transport, agriculture, general industry and banking sector, with a cumulative amount exceeding €1.2 billion. EBRD also intensively supports a policy dialogue to address key challenges of transition across sectors.
(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)