19 October 2026, Chișinău – Eudochia Ursu, a mother of three from Dănceni village, Ialoveni district, replaced her old washing machine with a modern, energy-efficient model with support provided through the Household Appliance Voucher Programme (EcoVoucher). For her family, choosing an appliance that consumes less energy was important, given that the washing machine is used frequently and electricity costs are a constant concern.

The government EcoVoucher Programme is financially supported by the European Union and enables eligible households to replace old appliances with more energy-efficient ones.

The voucher, worth MDL 6,000, could be used to purchase either a refrigerator or a washing machine. The family chose a washing machine because the old one had broken down. Although the refrigerator is also old, it is still functioning well. “We used the voucher to purchase a washing machine because we already have a refrigerator. It is not in good condition, it is about 11 years old, but it was still in better shape than the washing machine,” the beneficiary says.

The purchasing process was simple and quick. The family went to a participating store, where the documents were completed on the spot, and the new appliance was delivered the very next day. Upon delivery, the old washing machine was collected for recycling.

“We went to the store and asked how to use the voucher. They quickly completed all the paperwork; we did not expect it to be so easy. They delivered it to our home the next day,” says Eudochia Ursu.

When choosing the new appliance, the family focused on two criteria – low energy consumption and large capacity. For a large family, electricity costs are considerable.

“My husband wanted a washing machine that was more economical, while I wanted one with a larger capacity. As a large family, we pay a lot for electricity. When we bought the boiler, my husband said the same thing – we already pay a lot for electricity, and with the boiler it will be even more. So when we went to buy the washing machine, he said we should choose one that does not ‘eat up’ so much energy,” explains Eudochia Ursu.

The family has already noticed a clear difference compared with the old appliance. “The difference between the old one and this new one is huge. This programme is very useful, especially for large families with many children. For families with many members, this programme is wonderful,” Eudochia Ursu added.

The EcoVoucher Programme provides eligible households with financial support to purchase energy-efficient appliances. A voucher of up to MDL 6,000 can cover up to 70% of the cost of a refrigerator (classes A–D) or a washing machine (class A). This allows beneficiaries to choose quality appliances that combine energy efficiency with durability and comply with European standards. To redeem the voucher, beneficiaries must hand over an old appliance of the same type for recycling. The old appliance is collected free of charge.

Priority for receiving vouchers is given to families with two or more children, persons experiencing severe energy vulnerability, and households where two persons aged over 63 live.

The Household Appliance Voucher Programme is developed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova with financial support from the European Union. The current edition is implemented by the National Centre for Sustainable Energy within the “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Moldova” (E4M) project, implemented by GIZ together with the Government of the Republic of Moldova, financed by the Government of Germany and co-financed by the European Union, Norway and Denmark. The current edition of the Programme is financed by the European Union.

Material produced within the edition financed by the European Union.