In Moldova, 5,119 vouchers were used under the EcoVoucher program from February 26 to March 23 to replace old household appliances with newer, more energy-efficient ones
According to the Ministry of Energy and the National Center for Sustainable Energy, beneficiaries used vouchers worth 6,000 lei, covering up to 70% of the cost of household appliances, to purchase refrigerators and washing machines. Thus, during the first stage of the new edition of the EcoVoucher program, families that used the vouchers purchased 2,283 refrigerators and 2,836 washing machines. At the same time, since the launch of this session, the green line of the National Center for Sustainable Energy has processed over 3,600 calls from beneficiaries, providing prompt assistance and recommendations throughout the process of checking and using the vouchers. The EcoVoucher program was launched to support vulnerable households in reducing their energy bills by replacing old household appliances with new, energy-efficient ones, in line with the Moldovan government’s efforts to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector. Ion Muntean, Director of the National Center for Sustainable Energy, noted that through the EcoVoucher program, the authorities aim to help families reduce their energy bills and improve home comfort. “We see that beneficiaries analyze energy efficiency classes and compare appliances that are similar in functionality but differ in price and energy consumption. This way, they can make informed decisions, understanding from the outset how energy consumption will affect the family budget,” he said. Thanks to the implementation of this program, consumers will pay lower electricity bills due to the use of more economical and energy-efficient equipment and lighting fixtures. “Thanks to Norway’s support, we are giving vulnerable families in Moldova the opportunity to replace old household appliances with new, energy-efficient ones. The EcoVoucher program is not only about saving money, but also about educating people on how to make the right energy decisions. “We give them the tools they need to improve their daily lives and protect the environment,” said Kamilla H. Kolshus, Chargé d’Affaires of the Norwegian Embassy in Moldova. “We are pleased to see that eco-vouchers are helping families in Moldova replace old household appliances with new ones that consume less energy. The goal of this phase is to provide vouchers to 32,000 families, supporting energy savings in both the short and long term. In addition, consumers will learn about the importance of energy efficiency labels and choose efficient household appliances that reduce energy consumption and their environmental impact,” said Christian Borchard, Implementation Manager of the GIZ E4M component, funded by Norway. The EcoVoucher programme was developed by the Moldovan government with support from the European Union. The current stage of the programme with an estimated budget of 7.5 million euros is being implemented by the National Centre for Sustainable Energy and the Ministry of Energy within the framework of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Moldova (E4M) project. The E4M project was initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by GIZ and jointly financed by the European Union, Germany, Norway and Denmark. // 07.04.2025 – InfoMarket.
