PAS Green Energy: A Path to Self-Sufficiency or a Pitfall?

Christian RUSSU

The current authorities are actively promoting projects to develop the renewable energy sector, adopting Romania’s experience. However, in our circumstances, this only creates additional risks for the country’s energy security

A low-carbon economy has recently become one of the priorities of the current government. It intends to fulfil its commitment to bring the share of renewable energy to 30% of final consumption by 2030, the deadline for planned EU accession. All of this, of course, fits into the overall strategy of the European Union and, in addition to political bonuses, promises new financial opportunities for the authorities. Business groups close to officials are offered attractive conditions for the “green” energy development, which promotes the emergence of new wind and solar generating capacities. Since 2018, the installed capacity of renewable electricity sources has increased about 230 times: from 0.5 MW to 115.3 MW in 2023, whereas in January 2024 the capacity of such power plants was already about 343 MW. The number of beneficiaries using and selling “green” energy has notably increased. And yesterday the government approved new regulations for tenders for the construction of wind and photovoltaic parks with a capacity of 165 MW, which simplifies the requirements for participation, as well as the procedure for organizing and conducting tenders. Their winners will receive a guaranteed fixed price for the electricity produced for 15 years. By 2025, our country plans to build 105 MW wind farms and 60 MW photovoltaic power plants, which will bring their share to 16-17% in the total. By 2030, the capacity of clean power plants may increase to 650 MW, which seems an incredible result, as it may cover half of the national consumption. Last year, the maximum capacity consumed in Moldova was 1,002 MW and the minimum was 356 MW. The logic goes that it’s time to think not only about self-sufficiency in such cheap electricity and getting rid of the long-standing dependence on the Cuciurgan power plant, but also to dream about export to neighboring countries. That’s great, but there is one hitch. In order to safely operate such capacities of “green” energy, substantial resources of other, “non-green” energy are required, which will be able to promptly replace voltage dropouts in the grid when solar panels and wind turbines cannot operate. Once again, the problem is that our country lacks generating capacities that may operate as balancing facilities. We simply don’t have them, nor do we have any interest in developing them. Under the current scheme of power supply from MoldGRES, this is entirely the concern of the left bank. In case of conflicts with the Tiraspol administration or incompatibility of business interests, balancing energy was supplied from abroad, mainly from Ukraine. However, the rules of the European energy community ENTSO-E, where Moldova suddenly found itself in 2022, require that each country should be able to provide itself with 50% of balancing energy. Certainly, we can refer to the fact that Moldova borders Ukraine, where there is a war and EU rules can be neglected. The current volumes of transit due to imbalances in the energy systems of our countries do not fit into the EU requirements and norms, but they are being insistently imposed on us, including because of the cost of emergency supplies. Disastrous consequences of such experiments for the ecosystem is a separate concern. It is indicative that this year no environmental flush was planned on the transboundary Dniester River. The upstream hydro-storage power plant, one of the few important balancing assets of neighboring Ukraine, discharges water without any coordination with our authorities or any schedule, meeting the momentary needs of its energy system. Based on the government’s plan to reach the limit of 600 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, balancing generation with one-third of the capacity from solar and wind power plants should also appear. We can see active development of green energy in the country. It is even possible that instead of the forests and oak groves promised by the ruling party, in 7 years we will see a whole “forest” of wind turbines. However, no conventional fuel power plants to balance the energy system are being built. It’s a vicious circle. The boom of “green” energy development in the country, actively supported by the authorities, leads to imbalance and only increases the risks for Moldova’s energy security. Even if we look at neighboring Romania with its relatively developed and differentiated energy system, including nuclear generation, the country is not able to cover domestic consumption during peak hours, attracting over 20% of electricity from abroad. At other times, of course, “green” energy from across the Prut is exported, but the price is much lower. We are following the Romanian path, but have no power generation capable of acting as a balancing one, with all the ensuing risks. If we take into account the implementation of interconnection projects with Romania along the Isaccea-Vulcanesti-Chisinau and Balti-Suceava routes, they can only act as backbone grids with no idea of the sources of generation coverage, especially balancing one. Recent statements of our officials that Moldova will almost become an exporter of electric power, given the planned construction of a 400 KW (diesel generator capacity) power plant in Balti, together with the very power transmission line towards Suceava, seem ludicrous. If electricity exports to Romania will go through our country, it will be supplied from the Novodnestrovsk hydro accumulating station, from which there is a high-voltage power line towards Balti. In this case, Romania solves the problem of ensuring its energy security at the expense of our country’s territory. We are only a transit link in this chain, but it is the Moldovan taxpayers who will bear the burden of paying loans for the projects of “energy bridges” across the Prut. There is a strong feeling that the current authorities, under the guise of slogans about the need to implement European standards and norms, pursue their vested interests, depriving Moldova of the prospect of achieving energy security and sovereignty.