Eight village of Hancesti district have connected their education institutions and mayor’s offices to biomass heating systems, replacing thus the gas- and coal-fired heating systems. Two of the villages applied green energy at all the public institutions. The initiative was supported through the EU-funded Energy and Biomass Project, IPN reports, with reference to a press release of the implementation team.

The investments in Hancesti district consist of €518,000 European funds and €188,900 local contributions. The eight villages are: Carpineni, Crasnoarmeiscoe, Cotul Morii, Dancu, Dragusenii Noi, Loganesti, Boghiceni, and Obileni. Twelve public institutions of the district are now heated with biomass energy, while two have solar hot water panels.

The second stage of the Energy and Biomass Project is a three-year project (2015-2017) with a total budget of €9.41 million provided by the EU within the EU4Energy initiative. The project is implemented by UNDP.

On January 19, the new heating system at the school in Cotul Morii village will be officially put into operation. The ceremony will involve the Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Peter Michalko and UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Moldova Dafina Gercheva.

In Moldova, over 200 schools, kindergartens, community centers and hospitals replaced the gas- and coal-fired heating systems with biomass systems, contributing thus to local economic development, enhanced energy security and protection of the environment.