Moldova’s Green Revolution: How a Small Country is Powering Up with Renewables
In just five years, Moldova has catapulted itself onto the map of Europe’s fastest-transforming energy markets. From a modest 80 megawatts of renewable generation capacity in 2020 to over 665 megawatts in 2025, the country has achieved an eightfold increase that few would have predicted.
According to Moldova’s Ministry of Energy, April 2025 marked a historic milestone: more than 36% of national electricity consumption was covered by locally produced renewable sources, setting an all-time record. On average, renewables now account for over 20% of annual demand, a dramatic leap from the mere 3% share five years ago.
Incentives Fuel Growth
This unprecedented boom has been powered by clear incentives. Moldova offers long-term guarantees—fixed tariffs for 15 years on solar projects under 1 MW and wind farms up to 4 MW, and fixed prices awarded through competitive tenders for larger installations. Since January 2024, the country has also shifted from net metering to a net billing model, further encouraging small producers to feed surplus power into the grid with the security of state buyback guarantees.
Building a Market Infrastructure
Supporting this surge in clean energy is the creation of the Moldovan Electricity Market Operator (OPEM) in 2024. With its launch, Moldova activated a day-ahead market (DAM), intraday market (IDM), balancing market, and a forward contracts segment—laying the groundwork for eventual integration with European energy systems such as the Single Day-Ahead Coupling (SDAC) and Single Intraday Coupling (SIDC). Draft operational procedures for these markets, including pricing and settlement rules, are already under public consultation. With renewable capacity multiplying, Moldova faces the same challenge as its European neighbors: variability. The country has moved quickly to address grid balancing by licensing 83 MW of battery storage projects as of May 2025. In October 2025, Moldova plans to hold its first state tender requiring bidders to include energy storage solutions, reflecting a strategic push to enhance system stability.
Wind Energy Takes Center Stage
Wind power is gaining prominence alongside solar power. Moldova’s southern and central regions are emerging as the prime territories for turbines, with average wind speeds between 7 and 8 meters per second at 100 meters height. While final figures are pending the results of this year’s tenders, installed wind capacity is estimated to be between 100 and 120 MW—a number expected to grow rapidly.
Looking Ahead
Moldova’s National Energy Strategy envisions renewables covering 30% of total electricity consumption by 2030. With strong policy support, a maturing market framework, and a new wave of tenders on the horizon—including the upcoming October 2025 auction—investors and developers see Moldova as one of Eastern Europe’s most promising clean energy frontiers.
If recent progress is any indication, Moldova’s green revolution has only just begun.