New rules on the renewable energy market of the Republic of Moldova
In the Republic of Moldova, from January 1, 2024, a new billing mechanism for renewable energy will be applied. The Cabinet of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry of Energy, approved amendments to the law on promoting the use of energy from renewable sources.
One of the new legislative initiatives is the transition from net metering to net billing - a necessary step to make the current renewable energy system fairer, more orderly, non-discriminatory and accessible to as many citizens as possible. According to the government, the trend in recent months shows that there is increased interest in photovoltaic generating units, an investment that is repaid faster than other technologies and, at current prices, is repaid twice as fast as before the energy crisis.
According to the document, apartment owners in multi-storey buildings will be able to install renewable energy units for their own consumption. They may be located at a different address than the place of consumption, provided that both addresses are within the range of the same supplier. The project is aimed at solving problems that hinder the development of the renewable energy sector, both in the electricity component, the use of renewable energy in transport, and in the development of the heating and cooling sector. At the same time, as a result of the formulated changes, the executive branch will invite to tenders for the construction of large wind and photovoltaic plants with a total installed capacity of 105 MW for wind power plants and 60 MW for photovoltaic panels. The plants will be created by 2025.
The Republic of Moldova has set as its national goal for 2030 that at least 30% of the volume of electricity consumed will be obtained from renewable sources. Currently, renewable energy sources make up 6%. The approved document has undergone extensive consultations with the business environment and other interested parties, and its adoption will make it possible to obtain external funding.