Home News Solar Energy for an Agri-Food Hub in Moldova
The agri-food hub in Criuleni, Moldova, is becoming more energy self-sufficient thanks to a new hybrid photovoltaic system with battery storage. The investment, supported through SlovakAid, will help reduce energy costs, ensure continuity of operations and create more stable conditions for processing local agricultural produce.
A 10 kW hybrid photovoltaic system with battery storage has been installed at the hub, enabling renewable energy to be produced and stored directly on site. The system can be expanded to a capacity of up to 20 kW in the future.
The use of locally generated and stored energy will help reduce the hub's dependence on the electricity grid and lower its energy costs. The battery storage system will also help ensure continuity of operations during power outages.
The modernisation goes beyond energy generation. The hub has also been equipped with new technologies designed to make fruit processing more efficient, including conditioning and ventilation systems for dryers, dehumidifiers to control humidity, and equipment to maintain the required temperatures during processing. The new equipment will help create more stable conditions for processing agricultural products and strengthen the operational resilience of the hub.
The activities in Criuleni are implemented by the Moldovan organisation Green City Lab Moldova through a SlovakAid financial contribution. The financial contribution of EUR 86,000 builds on the ongoing strategic partnership project Green Vector for the Moldovan Agri-Food Sector (#GreenVectorMD) and extends support for agri-food hubs with additional energy-efficiency solutions.
The support aims to increase the energy efficiency and independence of several agri-food hubs in Moldova through solutions such as solar systems, battery storage and technologies needed for more efficient operations and processing of agricultural produce.
The GreenVectorMD project, supported by SlovakAid, is developing a network of regional agri-food hubs in Moldova that connect local producers, agricultural processing and business activities while promoting environmentally sustainable solutions.
The East Hub in Criuleni has already benefited from previous activities under the strategic partnership, including the insulation of its production facility, a ventilation system with heat recovery, and an electric vehicle with a charging station. The new investment in renewable energy generation and storage builds on these activities and further strengthens the hub's energy efficiency and operational resilience.
The experience from Criuleni demonstrates how renewable energy solutions can be integrated directly into agri-food infrastructure, contributing to more efficient processing while strengthening the capacities of local producers.