What is Renergy? What is the company’s specialization?
We are Renergy Solutions. In this formula the company has existed since 2020, but in fact all the passion and projects started in 2018. Then green energy and green energy projects in Moldova were like a Tesla car: performance, futuristic, Americans and Europeans were already working with them, they used public fast chargers, but at home we had only heard, seen in photos and videos, we were excited and waiting for others to take such models to understand that YES, this is the future. Well, going back to green energy, we Renergy, we cover the whole segment. I am referring here to all types of services and works on renewable energy projects. Our clients are people who quickly understood that green energy means energy independence, substantial savings on the electricity bill. At the same time, we fully understand that the increased interest in green energy projects is sometimes indirectly proportional to the degree of achievement. At the moment we are talking about some costs, some investments that not many people can afford. That is why our role is not only to sell solutions, but also to educate citizens on the investment segment. Because if a person does not feel the benefit (s) of such an investment, he or she will receive certain constraints, fears, dismay about the terms of return on the investment, unknown risks, etc. Basically, we are working on changing the concept of short term to long term. People need to understand that 5-7 years is ok for recovering investments. This year we are developing several large capacity projects. I am referring here to the capacity of 200kw, 400kw, 600kw.
How do you appreciate the evolution of the market in the last 10 years?
It’s extraordinary. The technologies are more and more advanced, more efficient, more intelligent, and with that the end customers have a huge variety of products to choose from. Obviously, the big producers are the most sought after. Having decades of experience behind them, they cannot afford to launch poor quality products and they always have “in the window” everything that is newer and technologically efficient. If I give an example on the photovoltaic segment: think that three or four years ago, 300-350 watt photovoltaic panels were considered the technological apogee, 250-270 watts being a normality. Less than 5 years have passed and we are already talking about 500, 600 and even 800 watt panels. So, in our vision, the evolution is a fast one, very good and of high performance.
Is financing and access to resources a problem for the renewable energy sector?
The hardest thing is to convince the client with evidence that his project is a bankable one, it is a good investment that is redeemed in X years. In turn, the client must convince the banking institution that he does not have all the money now, but that he has a financial support either from savings, business, with which to cover the money borrowed for the project. The institutions want to be sure that he will be able to repay the borrowed money. So, a team in which everyone defends their game pieces.
But, access to resources is no longer an issue. Here is the Green Economy Financing Facility (GEFF), launched this year by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or the EU4Business credit line. They are clear evidence that businesses can be successful with this support. Problems would probably be related to eligibility, rather. We believe that: if nothing changes, nothing changes.
By the way, the EBRD has developed and made available the Green Technology Selector, a very convenient tool for suppliers to promote their technologies and for beneficiaries to select pre-approved products and technologies and get financed in the frame of GEFF. Do you use this tool? If yes, how many products have you registered in it?
Green Technology Sector is, in our vision, the best technology and equipment platform in the Republic of Moldova. Our company managed to certify the entire range of photovoltaic panels we operate with. Of course, the green energy section will not include inverters, support structures, but these, customers should know, are automatically part of the list of products approved in future projects. To be more precise, we currently have 7 approved products.
What benefits did you feel after registering in GTS?
First of all, a high degree of trust from customers. The products approved by GTS automatically mean: quality, guarantee, support, safety, qualification, brand awareness. It is an additional confirmation of the quality of the works and products we promote in the Republic of Moldova. Last but not least, the simplicity of operations based on the certificate generated by the platform. It is enough to print it to the client so that it can later be presented to the financing institutions for the next steps. It is a diploma, a guarantee certificate, if you want, for the client.
In addition to GTS, of course you have your own marketing strategy. How do you promote yourself normally?
The projects implemented by us are the best promotion for us. It’s the proof that you don’t sell air, clouds or rain. And if the project was executed very well, professionally, it was assembled correctly and all the elements work, then it is a ready-made commercial. Just come see, test. Especially since everything we do can be observed not only at the project site, but also through mobile applications or directly from the computer or tablet.
We use digital platforms as indisputable ways to promote. Because potential customers live there too. And even if they do not directly, then the influential people in their families or environment. But because we live in a very small community, the best and most successful way to promote yourself is the Good Word put by a friend or a close one. We live in a very small community and in a big world full of products and offers. And a recommendation by a friend is half the success of everything you do.
Do you feel that there is interest from customers in the type of services you offer?
Unquestionable. And this interest has become very pronounced since 2020. Obviously, viewers tried this earlier, but a growing interest began to emerge in 2020. What I said earlier: this global green energy hype at the text level has arrived and with us. We heard about him, now we want to test. And they would like to test a lot of people, because they heard that it reduces the current bill, you become independent in a few years, you can also make money on feed-in. I sound more like here. That is why it is not embarrassing not to know a lot about this field, but this element of ignorance is unfortunately a very good tool for speculation from all kinds of entities or individuals, who claim to be able to offer solutions in this segment. . The bad part is that poor quality technologies arrive on the market, dubious in origin, but promoted as whole products. Here is our duty as a company: not only to sell technologies, but to educate and train.
Have you tried to offer your customers energy services? Is the ESCO model a viable business in Moldova?
It is a very good model that works very well outside. Not that it would not be successful at home, but at the moment I have not tried this model, for the simple reason that there are many aspects related to the legal, legislative part, somehow. But even if we had an openness for esco projects, there remains another problem: the honesty and sincerity of the client with whom we want such a business. It is not impossible. We will definitely go this way as well.
What problems do you and your customers face when purchasing, designing a project or otherwise?
Most often, the customer’s passion for green energy sometimes decreases slightly when the figures of this business case are announced. Because I said earlier, there is still no visionary preparation on investments, redemption, profitability, or the amounts that have a few zeros in the queue, of course that scares many from the start. Maybe not necessarily the numbers, but rather the opportunities for financing or lending, subsidizing, etc. Fortunately, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has unlocked with GEFF a fairly large burden on the renewable energy projects segment. At present, you can already go to the bank to borrow as a natural or legal person, to execute a photovoltaic project, or wind, or biogas, or biomass….
We believe that these financial facilities are only for the benefit of the customer. Quick access to financing, facilities in the granting process, grace periods, acceptable lending rates, decent redemption period of the system, profitability after a certain period depending on the system configuration. Of course, it’s not really like a love story, because by default we are talking about a responsibility, calculations, estimates, and many other elements that customers should take into account. So, one of the problems at the very beginning of the project is the financial one. This is followed by problems with the location of the system. If it is a roof then it has an unsuitable exposure for a photovoltaic system, or the materials from which it is made are of inferior or very old quality. If we talk about the ground then we find that the space is small, the area is very shady, the interconnection area is at a great distance and many other technical details but with small limitations. In the case of higher capacity systems, the first issue would be the possibility of interconnection to the national operator system. Usually, these are strictly related to technical issues, even if financially all is well.
Is the legislation in your field good enough or would you need improving certain things?
Of course we want more adjustments, as this is the area that is well regulated, would bring huge benefits to both the state and end customers and inevitably and us as a company. We want more tax facilities. This would mean a slightly lower investment costs for us, exemptions or facilities for customs clearance, which would also release the client from taxes and thus would invest with less money. Speaking of end customers, legislatively it would be beneficial to make more adjustments to the mode and capacities of production, to the liberalization of the larger energy market, subsidies in the field of green energy according to the model of the countries of the European community, sua, etc. Moldova is able to produce energy for its own consumption. Too bad this is still not understood by many rulers. It is a strategic sector that must be taken hand in hand, supported and developed.
How do you see Moldova in 5 years from the point of view of the energy sector?
Moldova will look very good. With visionary people, we have a great chance to catch up with the developed countries of the world. It is a very connected circle: more and more factories, companies, smaller and larger entities are appearing. Everyone consumes electricity, but at the same time everyone wants to consume less. Reducing the consumption of current classic, would mean money released for new jobs, better wages, investments, more decent living. And the most interesting thing is that we are really capable of doing that. And certainly, if we take it seriously, then we will succeed. But if we talk in technical terms, then I think that in 5 years, a gigawatt of green energy could be installed in our country. I am convinced that it is possible. I am convinced that it is a win – win business case.
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