The village of Sireti in the Straseni district has become a successful example in using renewable energy for public lighting. With the help of a pilot project funded by the National Center for Sustainable Energy (CNED), local authorities built their own photovoltaic park, completely transforming the street lighting system and significantly reducing electricity costs, IPN reports.

"We see great efficiency, and we really wanted this project to ensure the village has street lighting and save the budget," said Mayor Leonid Boaghi.

The project, which included the installation of 72 solar panels with a capacity of 20 kW, fully supports the village’s public lighting. Thus, old energy-consuming lamps were replaced with 508 modern, efficient, and durable LED fixtures. "Now it's much better compared to before. We have light at every pole, and the bulbs are much brighter," said a local resident.

Deputy Mayor Alexandru Iorga emphasized the positive impact on the community: "People have gotten used to the street lighting and can't live without it anymore. It's not like it was before".

The implementation of this project earned the Sireți village hall the title of winner in the "Moldova Eco Energetică 2024" competition, in the category "Best energy efficiency project in the street lighting sector, incorporating renewable energy sources".

The savings made possible by the photovoltaic park allowed the authorities to plan its expansion with an additional capacity of 200 kW. This initiative is expected to also cover the energy needs of public institutions in the village. "All of the street lighting capacity connected to this transformer is 100% covered by this photovoltaic park," explained Mayor Leonid Boaghi, adding that future plans include zero electricity bills for public institutions.

The photovoltaic park, located on a plot of land owned by the village hall, represents an important step toward sustainability, showing that a project can bring benefits to the community. "Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand, and Sireti is the living proof of this," concluded the representatives of the village hall.

The National Center for Sustainable Energy, the institution that supported this project, plays a crucial role in implementing energy efficiency policies in Moldova, contributing to the country's energy security and reducing environmental impact.