Dozens of organizations form a cluster to boost biomass energy sector in the Republic of Moldova

The cluster will embrace private companies, public authorities, research institutions, universities, active associations of green energy sector. The EU funded Energy and Biomass Project and implemented by UNDP provides assistance for the establishment of the biomass energy cluster.

"The goal of our EU-funded MEBP project is to ensure the establishment of a sustainable biomass market in the Republic of Moldova. We welcome the creation of this cluster today which is a new step in the reinforcement of biomass market in the Republic of Moldova and will favour further successful development of this sector, which will lead to tangible results for the citizens", Alexandre Darras, Attaché, Project Manager at the EU Delegation, mentioned during the event.

The cluster will set a framework for the cooperation between key stakeholders on the biofuel market, will help to create local, regional and international partnerships in the fields of interest. Its members will identify those challenges faced by the sector and will prioritise cluster’s activities, considering their impact on the sector. "It is important to have an entity to represent the interests of all these sector’s stakeholders. The cluster will help us to become one voice that will make us heard, for the sake of promoting the biomass energy sector, which is still at the starting line of its developments", Vladimir Brăgaru, the President of the Association of Solid Biofuel Producers and member of the cluster coordination board, said.

“European Business Association is interested in forming biomass energy cluster which will help to solve a series of sector challenges.  Among these –  the development of the secondary legislation in renewable energy sector which is a bottleneck for the development of market, need for a  systemic approach of biomass heating for public institutions and pro-active involvement of  local public authorities all over the  value chain”,  stated Mariana Rufa, executive director of the European Business Association.

The new entity consists now of 23 members, including the Regional Development Agencies (North, South, Centre), the Organisation for Small and Medium Enterprises Sector Development , the Association of Solid Biofuel Producers, universities, NGO’s, the network of business incubators , businesses entities of the sector and other institutions. The membership is open to new members.

"The need for clusters comes when the market reaches a certain degree of maturity and needs to ensure the continuous growth and to overcome the problems caused by the lack of interaction between the companies, the research organisations or the educational institutions, donors or public authorities", stated Lajos Vajda, President of the "Green Energy" Innovative Bioenergy Cluster from Romania, who assists Republic of Moldova in the establishment of the cluster. In Romania, the "Green Energy" Innovative Bioenergy Cluster was set up in 2009.

The Moldova Energy and Biomass Project is a seven-year project implemented during the period 2011 - 2017. The project’s aim is to contribute to the production of safe, competitive and sustainable biomass energy, the most viable and accessible renewable energy source in the Republic of Moldova. The Energy and Biomass Project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme.