Moldova launches first regional V2G pilot to turn electric vehicles into grid suppliers
Moldova is transforming electric vehicles (EVs) from simple energy consumers into mobile storage units. The government has approved the first innovative pilot project within its "Energy Sandbox" to test Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology.
This initiative marks a first for both Moldova and the surrounding region. Authorities designed the project to address current limitations in the national energy system, specifically the lack of large-scale storage.
Solving the renewable energy puzzle
The Ministry of Energy highlights that managing the grid is becoming increasingly difficult. The rise in renewable energy production creates significant fluctuations that the current infrastructure struggles to balance.
Without a framework to use EVs as distributed storage units, the system faces stability risks. This pilot creates a legal "sandbox" where EVs can feed electricity back into the grid during peak hours.
From driver to mobile prosumer
The project redefines the role of the EV owner. Under the V2G model, the vehicle battery becomes a flexible resource that supports the integration of green energy.
"We are witnessing the evolution of the classic prosumer into a mobile prosumer," stated Cristina Pereteatcu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy. She noted that batteries are no longer just for driving, but represent a distributed energy reserve.
In practice, EVs will charge when there is a surplus of electricity—such as when wind or solar production is high—and discharge back to the grid when demand spikes.
Breaking legal barriers for innovation
To allow this testing, the government approved three-year waivers for the Law on Electricity. Current national legislation only accounts for one-way energy flows from the grid to the consumer.
These temporary regulations will cover bidirectional energy metering and experimental tariffs. They also allow EVs to participate in controlled grid-balancing services for the first time.
Next steps for national implementation
The NGO "Green City Lab Moldova" will implement the project under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy and the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE).
The pilot requires no state budget funding. Instead, it serves as a data-gathering mission to prepare future legislation that could allow all Moldovan citizens to participate in grid balancing.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
