Following a series of earlier announcements, The Ministry of Energy of Moldova presented the draft Energy Strategy until 2050. The announcement was made at a public event, attended by key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, civil society, and development partners.
The Energy Strategy of the Republic of Moldova until 2050 aims to ensure the transition to a secure, sustainable, efficient and competitive energy system. The draft brings a series of essential new elements, which differentiate this vision from previous strategies. According to the document, the share of electricity produced from carbon-free sources is to reach 85% of total local production in 2050, and about 90% of the national electricity demand will be provided from domestic renewable sources – solar, wind, biomass and high-efficiency cogeneration.
The Strategy proposes adapting the regulatory and institutional framework to recent European requirements, by gradually aligning national objectives related to the development of the energy sector with the provisions of the “Fit for 55” and “REPowerEU” legislative packages.
At the same time, the Strategy promotes the mobilisation of European funds and the attraction of private investments by developing a building energy renovation fund and implementing the SuperESCO model for energy efficiency in the public sector. The introduction of sustainability and innovation criteria in public procurement is intended to stimulate the adoption of clean technologies and support the green economy.
To achieve the strategy, investments of 43 billion euros are estimated in new renewable electricity generation capacities, building renovation and the transition to sustainable electric heating, decarbonisation and modernization of district heating, for electrification and green infrastructure in the transport sector, but also for energy efficiency, digitalisation, hydrogen, storage and research and development.
All these directions of action are accompanied by concrete solutions, based on long-term modeled energy scenarios, results of consultations with relevant experts and actors, as well as on lessons learned from the European integration process of other states.
Achieving the proposed objectives would result in savings of over 4 billion euros from reduced natural gas consumption, a 30% decrease in operation and maintenance costs, and annual savings estimated at 355 million euros in 2030 and over 1 billion euros in 2050. At the same time, economic modeling indicates that the energy transition and the implementation of the strategy will contribute to an additional annual GDP growth of about 2%.
“The importance of energy for all of us lies in the value it creates for consumers – light, heat, the ability to prepare a family dinner or have access to the internet and communicate with loved ones. Energy infrastructure involves major costs and for this reason it must be thought of in the long term, taking into account the evolution of the entire economy and the sectors that consume the most energy, the needs of the population and various external factors that may have an influence on the system. Such an exercise has been carried out in the last three years, with the support of the Energy Community Secretariat,” Moldovan Minister of Energy, Dorin Junghietu told The Voice of Renewables.
At the opening of the event, the Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, Artur Lorkowski, stated that the launch of the Energy Strategy 2050 creates the premises for a secure and sustainable energy future for the Republic of Moldova, while also being a European strategy in spirit and content. He stressed that the document puts efficiency first, transforms clean energy into an engine of development and guarantees the prosperity of citizens through a just and inclusive transition. At the same time, Lorkowski noted that the Republic of Moldova is consolidating its role as a leading contracting party to the Energy Community Treaty and accelerating its path as a candidate country to the European Union
The document estimates that approximately 35,000–40,000 new jobs will be created by 2050 in areas such as renewable installations, energy efficiency, network services, digitalization and research and development.
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