The European Union has provided five educational institutions in the country with more than US$420,000 worth of equipment for energy studies. The donation was provided through the project "Addressing the impacts of the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova", implemented by UNDP. This will enable students to learn in practice the most modern energy technologies and be better prepared to enter the labour market.

The Faculty of Energy and Electrical Engineering of the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) is one of the beneficiary institutions. Three study rooms have been equipped with laboratory equipment, including heat pump simulators, gas turbine for electricity generation, steam generator, parabolic collector for thermal agent production and other equipment.

"The Faculty of Energy is one of the few that has had an increasing number of students in recent years. Modern equipment will make studies at UTM even more attractive and applied, so that we can train qualified specialists for the energy sector companies, but also provide jobs at home for young people," said Victor Parlicov, Minister of Energy, at a presentation event of the equipment, conducted on 15 May 2024. 

"By monitoring energy consumption in different sectors, we can identify areas where energy efficiency can be improved and emissions – reduced. Let us embrace these technologies, harness the power of data, and make informed decisions that will benefit both our planet and future generations," stated Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

Officials were briefed on the applicability of each piece of equipment and practically modeled different operating regimes of a steam boiler and a district heating power plant. They tested in real-time parameters such as steam temperature, pressure in hydraulic circuits, amount of electricity generated etc.

“The donated equipment is essential for the training of the next generation of engineers and energy specialists. It is crucial that they have access to innovative resources to prepare effectively for their future roles in driving Moldova’s energy transition. Looking forward, UNDP reaffirms its commitment to supporting people of Moldova to have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy,” said Andrea Cuzyova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Moldova.

The purchased equipment enables students to understand the practical operation of thermal power plants or other technologies. 

"The technical facilities are very interesting and useful for students. For example, we have classes on heat engines and without the practical installations it was harder to understand the theory. Now we see in practice where the energy comes from and how each process works in a thermal power plant," says Gabriel Josanu, a student at the Technical University of Moldova.

Energy equipment was also donated to the Chișinău Technological College, the Soroca Agricultural Technical College, the Bălți Polytechnic College and the Chișinău Centre of Excellence in Construction. 

Also, at the establishment of the Ministry of Energy, the EU-UNDP project provided the necessary IT equipment, including printers, videoconferencing systems and various accessories essential for its operation, for a total value of $130,000.

With a budget of €13 million allocated by the European Union, "Addressing the impacts of the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova" project, implemented by the UNDP, supported the creation of the compensation.gov.md platform and piloted the "Rabla for household appliances" programme in the Republic of Moldova, which implies the replacement of old household appliances with new energy efficient ones. The project has also financed the installation of photovoltaic panels in households and several hospitals, as well as the change of central heating systems in several blocks to more efficient horizontal distribution systems.

In addition, the project provides support for the transposition of the EU's third energy package into both primary and secondary legislation, as well as the transposition of a number of directives and regulations of the "Clean energy for all Europeans" package, which address the energy performance of buildings, renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, good governance and electricity market design.