The project "Use of low-capacity wind installations in social institutions for the implementation of the" Net Metering "support scheme and development of a replication model in rural areas".
The implementation duration of the project is February 2021 - February 2022, and it has been extended 2 times.
This project addresses the problem of increased electricity consumption in social institutions, especially in education, in the context of energy resources import dependence of the country. The project provides for the installation, commissioning and operation of one small capacity vertical axis turbines with the total installed capacity of 3 kW at Gymnasium nr.74 in Tohatin Commune. The teams of the Association Education for Development (AED), Gymnasium nr.74 and Tohatin commune City Council were involved in the process of elaborating the technical documentation of the project.
General objective: Introduction of new technologies for generating electricity from renewable sources which will reduce electricity costs, will lead to the more efficient energy consumption and will generate socio-economic benefits in educational institutions.
Activities:
Procurement, Installation, mounting of the wind turbine
Measures to make electricity consumption more efficient
Commissioning of the wind turbine
Elaboration of the "Environmental impact study regarding the operation of the small capacity vertical axis wind turbine"
Acquisition of services for the development of a "Model for the use of small-capacity vertical axis wind installations in educational institutions"
The development of a "Model for the use of small-capacity vertical axis wind installations in educational institutions"
The official presentation of the "Model for the use of vertical axis wind installations of small capacity in educational institutions" during the trainings
Capacity development of 30 representatives of LPAs and NGOs, of which 50% are women, regarding the development of technical documentation, the installation and maintenance of small-capacity vertical axis wind turbines in educational institutions
Development of a video/animation spot and dissemination through social networks
Elaboration and dissemination of visibility materials about the project
Organization of 3 trainings in cooperation with educational institutions and APL Public Education for Development Association (AED) environmental NGOs, APL
The official launching of the wind turbine at Gymnasium 74

Objectives:
Objective 1: Modernization of the energy access system by installing 1 wind turbine on a vertical axis with a total capacity of 3 kW in Gymnasium 74, from Tohatin village in the first 9 months of the project. This project addresses the problem of increased electricity consumption in social institutions, especially in education, in the context of energy resources import dependence of the country.
Objective 2: Development of a model for the use of low-capacity vertical axis wind installations in educational institutions in the first 6 months of the project. The project provides for the installation, commissioning and operation of 1 (one) small capacity vertical axis turbines with the total installed capacity of 3 kW at Gymnasium no. 74 in Tohatin Village.
Objective 3: Capacity building of 30 representatives of local authorities and NGOs, of which 50% women, for the elaboration of technical documentation, installation and maintenance of low-capacity vertical axis wind installations in educational institutions in the last 6 months of project.
The wind turbine was put into operation in May 2023, after a new, 2nd extension of the project, for which we thank the donors and the national coordinator Mr. Parea Denis, who closely monitored the implementation of the project and helped us in difficult situations. Here we really want to express all our gratitude, because we felt the support, we were listened to and guided. We benefited from a very professional collaboration. We also thank Mrs. Irina Pinzari for all the support and relevant advice provided during the implementation of the project.

However, thanks to various efforts, the main objective has been achieved. The installed wind turbine will not have a negative impact on the environmental components. It is demonstrated that there will be no noise pollution. The sound pressure level will not exceed the maximum permissible limits specified in the country's regulations. Fencing the turbine and planting shrubs around the perimeter will make the area look more than acceptable visually.
A vertical wind turbine produces no noise. It is also more pleasing to the eye and fits better into the design and volume of residential spaces/neighborhoods.

In an accessible and practical way, pupils from Gymnasium no. 74 "Viorel G?in?" will have direct information about the renewable energy source and energy efficiency". Education for a healthy environment and sustainable development are currently priority objectives of government strategies in most countries of the world. The pupils will form skills to appreciate the situation, emerging from the concrete conditions, using local materials and examples, at the same time, the accumulated knowledge becomes relevant in the case, when it is desired to initiate a business in the field or to apply them directly in daily practice.

Thus, the information provided contributes, on the one hand, to the awareness of the need to train appropriate behavior of young people in the conditions, in which the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment increases, and, on the other hand, to the rational exploitation of resources for the purpose of protection and conservation the environment both locally and globally.

The project objectives have been achieved. Thus, during the project implementation period, the team faced various problems. These difficulties caused by external factors could not be foreseen and caused difficulties in the implementation of our project. Among these problems are:
The tender for the acquisition of a vertical wind turbine has been launched several times. Only at the third attempt we received two offers, one of which corresponded to the technical requirements and the ToR. Because of this, a lot of time has been lost.
The increase of the prices caused by the pandemic, which led to a significant difference in the price for the item of purchase, and later, the transportation services. We emphasize that at the planning stage of the project this amount was estimated and verified by experts.
Due to the difficulties, it was necessary to reallocate the approved sources with the donor's permission, including the reallocation of the salary of the project engineer to cover unforeseen expenses, such as: purchasing of the decoupler which was not planned. Respectively, looking for viable solutions, all these actions were time consuming.
The project partner and co-financier Tohatin City Hall cannot fulfill its obligations stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding due to the impossibility of convening of the Energy Efficiency Agency Council`s Board members. The main reason given is the political change at the Governmental level, the State Secretary from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development was missing, Board member of the EEA Council, and many questions cannot be approved, including the financing of the Tohatin City Hall.