OREANDA-NEWS. November 08, 2011. The Moldovan government will earmark 25 million euros to finance projects of energy efficiency in public institutions. The projects have been selected on a contest basis, Deputy Premier, Economics Minister Valeriu Lazar said at a meeting of the management board of the fund for energy efficiency.

According to the Economics Ministry's communication and media relations service, 76 applications out of 215 were selected during the contest, with the overall financial assistance due to be earmarked amounting to 102 million lei. The successful candidates submitted justifying documents, including audit reports on energy conditions in the targeted buildings and feasibility surveys. Following the implementation of the projects, the public institutions in question will decrease their energy consumption by 14 million kW/h yearly, 1.5 million cubic metres of gas or 1,200 gigacalories.

Lazar demanded that while selecting the financing applications, the specialists should take into account the applicants' possibility of co-financing the projects. Most projects are related to thermal isolation of buildings, change of windows and doors, especially, in kindergartens, schools and hospitals, as well as projects dealing with the use of renewable energy, such as installation of solar collectors.

Lazar expressed satisfaction with the quality of projects and the capacity of assimilation of the allotted means. The high number of applications proves that there is a capacity of absorption and that these proceeds are needed. In this respect, financing of actions aimed at enhancing energy efficiency will be a budget priority in 2012, Lazar noted. He also said that private companies could apply for financing from the energy efficiency fund in 2012.