Moldova invests 1.4 billion lei in improving the energy efficiency of residential homes
This year, a total of 180 families facing energy vulnerabilities received funding to rehabilitate their homes and lower their energy costs. The “Moldova Residential Energy Efficiency Fund” program has produced noticeable results. For example, a family in the Călărași district significantly reduced its energy costs thanks to improvements to their home.
Natalia Lungu's family was one of the program's beneficiaries. The total cost of the renovations was approximately 339,000 lei, of which the family paid only 5%, or 24,000 lei. The savings they have achieved through energy rehabilitation are substantial.
"Before, there was no central heating. There was only a stove that heated two rooms and the kitchen. We used another stove to heat the bathroom and an additional bedroom, which pushed our monthly electricity bills to 4,000 to 4,500 lei. Now, our bills have decreased to 1,500 lei based on the previous months' statements. We are very happy because this represents a significant saving," says Natalia Lungu.
The program specifically targets families with high energy bills and those with many children.
"Families identified as being in 'extreme energy vulnerability' have been prioritized for assistance. We focused on families that applied for compensation, especially those with many children and high energy consumption. Measures for this project included thermal insulation of the walls, installation of a home heating system, and the installation of a solid biofuel heating unit," explains Ion Muntean, director of the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED).
The work completed not only provides thermal comfort during the cold season but also ensures a comfortable environment in the summer.
"This doesn’t mean that the home will only be energy efficient in winter; it will also be effective in summer. The materials used help maintain a comfortable temperature in the home during the summer months," stated the Minister of Energy, Dorin Junghietu.
The financing program "Energy Efficiency Fund for the Residential Sector of Moldova" was approved in April of last year and has a total budget estimated at 1.4 billion lei for the period 2024-2027.
