First laboratory of testing solid biofuels accredited in Moldova

Chisinau, 23 November /MOLDPRES/ - A laboratory of solid biofuels at the Agrarian University has been the first one to be accredited in Moldova to test the physical and chemical parameters of biofuels. The laboratory benefited from modern equipment amounting to about 10,000 euros from European funds of the Energy and Biomass Project.  

Producers will be able to thus prove the quality of the biofuel placed on market, and consumers – to be sure of the product purchased. The biofuels’ quality certification will be compulsory starting from 25 March 2017, under the law on promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.    

“The accreditation of this laboratory will allow producers of biofuel to place the certificated goods on market, and respectively, to set a price depending on the product’s quality. The laboratory will be an instrument of stimulating entrepreneurs to produce briquettes/pellets of higher quality. Besides, people will be surer in their choice,” the manager of a Balti-based company producing briquettes, Ludmila Abramciuc, said.       

Each consignment of biofuels placed on market should contain information on the origin country, date of manufacture, validity term, dimension, calorific power, content of ashes, humidity, additives and content of nitrogen, chlorine and sulphur, physical and mechanical features, such as mechanical durability, bulk density, geometrical parameters, content of fine fractions. All these parameters, put down on label, must be confirmed by a testing laboratory accredited in Moldova. The authority of supervising the quality of the biofuels placed on market is the Consumer Protection Agency.          

“The laboratory of solid biofuels carries out the testing of solid biofuels by establishing all qualitative indexes provided for by the ISO standards and ENPlus norms,” the head of the laboratory of solid biofuels at the Agrarian University, university professor Grigore Marian said.    

The number of beneficiaries using biofuels as thermal agent is continuously increasing. Presently, over 190 kindergartens, schools and community centres from Moldova have set thermal stations on biomass from European funds of the Energy and Biomass Project. Also, 1,000 families heat their homes with green energy due to a subsidization programme started by the Energy and Biomass Project. In response to the increasing demand, the local market of producing biofuels is developing as well. Monitorings carried out by the Energy and Biomass Project show that, in early 2016, about 70 companies producing briquettes and pellets were running in Moldova.     

In 2015, 13 per cent of the energy consumed in Moldova was coming from renewable sources, while by 2020, the share of this energy is going to reach 17 per cent.  

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)