Achievements in the development of high-quality sustainable energy projects in Moldova were celebrated at an awards ceremony in Chisinau on 7 December 2012.
The EBRD presented awards to dry cleaning company, Nufarul, to biogas producer Vasile Moraru and also to Moldova’s Technical University for outstanding achievements in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Swedish Ambassador in Moldova Ingrid Tersman, presenting the Women in Business award to Nufarul drycleaners, where women are the driving force of the business, said: “This is a very special award offered by the Swedish government, jointly with the EBRD. Nufarul's energy efficiency plan is one of the most successful examples in Moldova hopefully to be followed by other companies.”
Nufarul’s energy efficiency plan was developed and implemented with the help of the EBRD’s Business Advisory Services, financed by the Swedish government.
The company’s prize was a visit to the Energy 2013 exhibition in Hannover, Germany, a leading energy industry event, taking place in April next year.
The Best Biogas Project award for an amount of €1,000 went to a pioneering enterprise run by Vasile Moraru, an electrician from Colonita, a suburb of Chisinau. Presenting the award, the head of the EBRD Office in Chisinau, Julia Otto, said: “This is an absolute premiere for Moldova – not only is it a first ever biogas farm, it is the first ever profitable green energy business in the country!”
The Biogas company received financing from the EBRD’s Moldovan Sustainable Energy Financing Facility to invest in equipment and vehicles to transport organic waste which is then converted into green energy and sold to the electricity distributor. The energy that Vasile Moraru’s company produces is enough to heat up to 60 households all year round.
The EBRD has also sponsored the Best Educational Initiative award which was presented by Parliament Speaker Marian Lupu to Moldova’s Technical University for investing in the future of energy efficiency through education. The prize included 100 specialist books and a training seminar with a leading engineering consultancy firm for students and university professors.
The awards ceremony Moldova Eco-Energetica – an event held by the Moldovan Economy Ministry with the support from the European Union and the UNDP – brought together high officials, representatives of the diplomatic community, international organizations, civil society and academia.
