Cantemir (cca. 5000 inhabitants), a small municipality in south of Moldova, signed the EU Initiative Covenant of Mayors for Energy and Climate in 2012. Having assumed the responsibility to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 the local government developed its Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). Since then Cantemir has been actively implementing projects as to reach its energy and climate goals. One of the successful energy actions was the replacement of more than 400 streetlights by LEDs with in-built smart control and monitoring system in 2018. To continue with its efforts, the local government has now launched a new project with support of EU on thermal rehabilitation of 4 public buildings.

The project provides for a comprehensive complex of energy efficiency measures such as thermal insulation of buildings envelopes, installation of individual heating substation, replacement of internal lighting system to the LED, installation of the biomass boiler plant and installation of the Photovoltaic and solar collector systems, etc. Simultaneously, the city is looking for the opportunity to transit to clean, zero-carbon energy sources for producing electricity and heat to reduce even more CO2 emission and decrease dependence on traditional sources of energy. For the moment none of the renewable energy sources have been used in Cantemir neither biomass nor solar energy which are plentiful in the region. While the biomass plant is planned to be installed within the framework of the ongoing CoMDeP project, solar energy combined with smart energy management systems in these buildings is proposed to be supported by SGP funds.

The energy audit that has been prepared for the selected 4 buildings show that the installation of a boiler plant and solar systems could bring saving of energy and money to the city in the amount of 1400 MWh per year and reduction of green house emissions by 290 tCO2 (21 % from the overall SEAP target). Additionally up to 25% could be saved thanks to the smart energy management system. As result municipal budget could be reduced by up to 36000 Euro.

The new installations will not only save energy and reduce CO2 but also serve as a great demonstrative site both for educational purposes and for further replication experience.

The global objective is to contribute to the achievement and implementation of more sustainable local energy policy and actions incorporated in the SEAP.