Moldova to ensure 20 per cent of consumed energy from renewable sources
Moldova will ensure 20 per cent of the consumed energy via using renewable by 2010. This is the main objective set by the Economics Ministry in a draft national action plan in the sector of energy from renewable sources for 2013-2020 (PNAESR). Following the completion of the approval phase at public institutions, the Economics Ministry (ME) on 8 August organised a roundtable with the interested establishments, investors and experts, the ME information and media communication service has reported.
The national action plan in the sector of energy from renewable sources is a key document of Moldova’s policy for the promotion of the use of renewable energy sources, in order to achieve the principal strategic goals of the increase in the energy supply security, long-term development in conditions of environmental protection and reducing of the climate changes. The plan defines the sector objectives to attain 20 per cent of the consumed energy from renewable resources (ESR) by 2020, via setting legislative, regulation and administrative actions necessary to achieve these goals.
The head of the energy security and efficiency directorate at the Economics Ministry, Vadim Ceban, has said that the PNAESR had been worked out in line with the provisions of a European Commission directive from 2009 on the promotion of the energy use from renewable resources, and is meant to synergise the implementation of the Energy Strategy till 2030. The document’s vision is aimed at strengthening in Moldova of the platform of producing electric energy by the re-equipment of the thermal electric power stations (CETs), integration of the capacities from the Transnistrian region and strategic development of 400 MW of electric energy from renewable sources (ESR-EE), mainly by the use of wind energy. Also, Moldova is to interconnect (synchronically/non-synchronically) the electro-energy system with the ENTSO-E system for the full integration into the European Union home energy market and ensuring the mechanism of balancing.
According to the document, the only realistic option of promoting the ESR-EE is the organisation of tenders with price ceilings dependent from technologies and parts of volume set at time intervals. The technologies are to be chosen depending on the stage of maturity. At the same time, the plan contains provisions on the protection of the interests of investors and consumers. Thus, the winners of tenders will have ensured the sale of the electric energy from renewable sources under contract for a 15-period. The price will be indexed annually according to the inflation level and the exchange rate. The tenders starting price will be adjusted during time and depending on the evolution of the technologies cost. The investors will provide guarantees to ensure an adequate implementation rate.
For their part, the investors proposed a string of legislative adjustments, especially referring to some amendments to the Land Code and the Forest Code in terms of change of lands’ purpose. At the same time, they spoke out for the revision of the general framework of authorisation in order to simplify it.
According to the estimated impact, the PNAESR implementation will generate investments worth at least 250 million euros to achieve the goal of 10 per cent ESR-EE alone, new jobs and a positive effect of the Gross Domestic Product. If the policies related to the energy strategy and the PNAESR will determine not only the bidding of 400 MW ESR till 2020, but also their efficient development, the investments will exceed 600 million euros.
Adapted from MOLDPRES