The first 17 rural communities from Moldova to connect their public institutions to the straw-fired heating systems were selected. All in all, 11 schools, 10 kindergartens and one community center will be heated during the winter time with locally produced energy. The rural public institutions will be connected to the biomass-based heating systems with the financial support of the Energy and Biomass Project, funded by the European Union and co-funded and implemented by the United Nations Development Program in Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a press release from UNDP. The selected rural communities are located in Stefan Voda, Leova, Cantemir districts and Gagauz Yeri ATU – these being the first regions in which the Energy and Biomass Project launched its activities. During the implementation period, over 2011-2014, the Energy and Biomass Project will cover all districts of Moldova – all in all, at least 130 rural public institutions will be connected to the heating systems based on agricultural waste, especially straw. The biggest part of the costs incurred for the installation of the heating systems shall be covered by the project, while the community will contribute with at least 15% of the total cost. Tiganca village from Cantemir district is one of the beneficiary communities of the Energy and Biomass Project. Thanks to the project, the school and the kindergarten from the village, which were heated until now with coal, will be connected to the biomass-based heating systems. “We had to pay until now 200,000 lei to heat the school and kindergarten during one cold season. With the new biomass-based heating systems, we will save up to 40%, and this money will be reinvested in the development of these institutions. Apart from making savings, we will also protect the environment. The straw will not be burnt anymore in the field, but will be transformed into ecological fuel,” stated Petru Gandrabur, the mayor of Tiganca village. The rural communities were selected based on criteria through a gradual, competitive, and transparent process. “The villages participating in the competition will be selected based on the following criteria: secure source of straw balers’ supply as well as available financial resources for fuel procurement; existence of adequate public buildings to be connected to straw-based heating systems; existence of storage facilities to store the straw balers, and community’s commitment and motivation to access the alternative heating energy sources,” said Alexandru Ursul, Moldova Energy and Biomass Project Manager. The total budget of the Moldova Energy and Biomass Project is €14.56 million, granted by the European Union (€14 million) and UNDP Moldova (€560 000).