The commune of Mereni, Republic of Moldova, part of a European project for smart villages: green energy, intelligent lighting, and investments in community infrastructure

Residents of the commune of Mereni, Anenii Noi district, will soon benefit from their own electricity produced by a modern photovoltaic station built with non-reimbursable support from the European Union.

The solar park, currently in its final construction phase, is set to be commissioned by the end of November, according to MOLDPRES.

On Saturday, the EU Ambassador to Chișinău, Iwona Piorko, visited the Mereni photovoltaic park, congratulating the local authorities for their project implementation and expressing confidence that it will significantly strengthen the community’s energy independence.

Clean energy and smart solutions for local development

The project in Mereni goes beyond the production of green energy. It includes the installation of an intelligent public lighting system with motion sensors and remote management, security cameras for community safety, and an automated irrigation mechanism for the local stadium. In addition, awareness campaigns and workshops will be held to encourage citizens to adopt smart solutions for a more sustainable lifestyle.

The investments are part of the project “EU4Moldova Resilient: Safe State, Strong Communities,” financed by the European Union and implemented by Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova. A total of five localities in the Republic of Moldova – Mereni, Lozova, Coșnița, Sipoteni, and Larga – have been selected to develop smart projects.

Up to 3 million lei for each photovoltaic park

Each community receives grants of up to 1.5 million lei for smart local projects and about 3 million lei for the construction of photovoltaic parks. With a capacity of up to 200 kW, these facilities will be connected to the national grid, helping to reduce energy costs for public institutions and boost local energy autonomy.

“In addition to grants, local authorities benefited from specialized training with international experts and study visits to Spain and Estonia. These experiences provided them with the tools needed to develop and implement smart village strategies tailored to local needs for the coming years,” said Xenia Marcov, Smart Villages component manager at Solidarity Fund PL.

Tailored projects for each locality

On Friday, October 17, collaboration was officially launched with the five localities implementing the Smart Villages concept: Lozova (Strășeni), Mereni (Anenii Noi), Coșnița (Dubăsari), Sipoteni (Călărași), and Larga (Briceni).

In Larga, Briceni district, the focus is on energy efficiency: modernization of the Cultural Center with infrared radiant panels, LED lighting, heat recovery ventilation systems, and investments in public lighting and road safety.

Coșnița, Dubăsari district, is implementing a project focused on improving waste management through the purchase of a new collection vehicle equipped with GPS and video cameras, along with 500 bins for plastic recycling.

In Sipoteni, Călărași district, investments address access to clean water and public transport modernization, including the installation of four water filtration stations and smart bus shelters.

Meanwhile, Lozova, Strășeni district, will benefit from five solar-powered meteorological stations that will help farmers adapt to climate change and improve agricultural productivity.

Rural Moldova connected to Europe’s green transition

Through these initiatives, the European Union and its partners strengthen the resilience and sustainability of rural communities in Moldova, showing that rural development can go hand in hand with innovation and environmental protection.

Photovoltaic parks, intelligent lighting systems, and energy efficiency solutions represent concrete steps toward reducing energy dependency and improving living standards in rural areas – a model that could be replicated across the country.