Enabling young citizens in Cantemir to become responsible energy consumers

For the first time, students from the High School and the Gymnasium from Cantemir took part in lessons on energy management. After the theoretical part in class, they put on special vests and started the practical part directly in front of the meters.

Together with the energy manager of the Cantemir District Council, they visited the measurement points of electricity, heat and domestic hot water.

During the practical lesson, students learned to “read” the meters, analyse the bill for consumed energy, draw attention to the payment for electricity.

They also visited the facilities built under the EU project “Covenant of Mayors. Demonstration Projects” – the individual thermal points, which are located in the basement of each institution. This experience was unique for them, especially since they had never been to the basement.

Students also learned about green energy – solar one – which is generated by their educational institutions, thanks to photovoltaic panels installed with the support of a GEF SGP project. The young people analysed the data on the screens installed in the halls, which display in real time the generated energy and the benefits from CO2 reductions produced by this installation.

Mr. Valeriu Gandrabur, energy manager from Cantemir, told them about the profession of energy manager, gave recommendations on methods of data monitoring and analyses of energy consumption.

The students said enthusiastically that they would keep online journals and do the homework to become responsible consumers.

NGO Alliance for Energy Efficiency and Renewables is the beneficiary of the Local Grants Program of the European Union and implements the project “Strengthening local capacities for the implementation of the strategy for sustainable energy in the Cantemir (CCLISED)”, in partnership with the Centre for Educational and Community Development CDEC.

The local grant program is launched on the basis of the Single EU Support Framework, granted to the Republic of Moldova (2017-2020) under the European Neighbourhood Instrument, through the project “Empowering the citizens of the Republic of Moldova” (2019-2021), funded by European Union and implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

The project partner for the Southern Region is the Regional Centre for Assistance and Information for Non-Governmental Organizations “CONTACT-Cahul”.