First laboratory to test solid biofuels in Moldova received accreditation

The laboratory received modern equipment in value of 100,000 EUR from the European Union, in the framework of Energy and Biomass Project, implemented by UNDP.

Now the producers of biofuel will be able to demonstrate the quality of their product and the consumers will be more confident of what they get. Certification of quality of biofuels will become mandatory as from March 25, 2017, according to the Law on renewable energy sources. Quality requirements for biofuels produced in the Republic of Moldova are specified in the Government Decision on solid biofuel nr. 1070 from December 27, 2013.

“We welcome the accreditation of this laboratory, where biofuel producers will be able to certify their biofuel and, depending on its quality, set the price. The laboratory will be a tool to challenge entrepreneurs to produce higher quality briquettes/pellets”, believes Ludmila Abramciuc, manager of a briquette manufacturer from Balti town.

Every biofuel lot proposed for sale shall have available information about the country of origin, date of production and expiration, size, net calorific value, ash properties, additives and nitrogen content, chlorine and sulfur. All these parameters, indicated on the label, require certification from an accredited laboratory in Moldova. The Consumer Protection Agency is the authority that supervises the quality of biofuel for sale and its compliance with legal requirements.

“The laboratory of solid biofuels performs the testing of all the quality indicators of solid biofuels included in ISO and ENPlus requirements. The laboratory test results tell us about the quality of biofuel and we, therefore, can determine the appropriate level of quality and the degree of harm it may cause to environment, including to the development of sustainable agriculture”, says Grigore Marian, university professor and head of the solid biofuel laboratory.

The number of beneficiaries of biomass heating is increasing. Today more than 190 kindergartens, schools and community centers in Moldova are using biomass heating systems installed with the support of the Energy and Biomass Project. About1,000 families heat their dwellings due the Subsidy Programme launched by the project. In response to the growing demand, local biofuel supply is also increasing. According to the data of the Energy and Biomass Project from 2016, there are about 70 active producers of briquettes and pellets.

In the Republic of Moldova, in 2015 the share of renewable energy in energy consumption was of 13%, and solid biofuels represented 92% of renewables. The 2020 target for the consumption of renewable energy in Moldova is set to 17% of the gross energy consumption.

The EUR 9.41 mil. Energy and Biomass Project, phase II, is a three-year project (2015-2017) funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.