219 energy-vulnerable households, of which 74 foster care homes, benefited from measures to improve the energy efficiency of buildings within the “Green Home” pilot initiative, carried out with the financial support of the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Program, IPN reports.

Solomon Ioannou, Program Officer within the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, said that supporting and encouraging the use of renewable energy solutions in energy-vulnerable households is crucial for achieving an inclusive transition to a sustainable future. Ensuring access to clean, affordable energy not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also alleviates energy poverty, improves health, and enhances the quality of life for the most vulnerable members of society.

74 households out of the 219 selected in the “Green Home” program are foster care homes. Initially, energy audits were carried out and, based on the recommendations, energy efficiency improvement measures with the greatest impact on each individual homes were decided. As a result, 11 solar collectors, 22 biomass boilers, 22 photovoltaic panels were installed and the thermal insulation of 35 houses was carried out - a total of 90 interventions, in some households multiple energy efficiency measures were combined.

Photovoltaic panels were installed on another 145 households. These beneficiaries were selected from the "Energy Vulnerability" information system based on several criteria, such as owning the house they live in, recording an average monthly energy consumption of 400-600 kWh and having a very high degree of energy vulnerability. Priority was given to families with many children. The beneficiaries were selected with the support of the National Center for Sustainable Energy and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

One of the beneficiary families is that of Tatiana and Igor Burlacu from the village of Pervomaiscoe, Hîncești. The couple have six children in foster care. In August 2023, the photovoltaic panels were installed and for the first two months they paid nothing for the electricity consumed. During the cold period of the year, less solar energy is produced, but it still covers over 80% of household consumption.

In the case of Elena Rusu from the village of Glinjeni, Fălești district, who also has six children in her family-type house, the results of the energy audit recommended the thermal insulation of the house and the installation of a biomass boiler. After the first winter since the house is energy efficient, Elena is very satisfied.

“Green Home” is a pilot initiative carried out within the EU-UNDP program “Addressing the impacts of the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova” with a budget of over one and a half million U.S. dollars. "Green Home" promotes energy saving practices and technologies and energy efficiency, especially in energy-vulnerable households. The program is to be taken over by the National Center for Sustainable Energy and expanded nationally.