On 6 February 2026, the Project Idea Note (PIN)* MD_PIN002 in the Republic of Moldova received a formal decision of no objection under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). The project aims to introduce waste-to-energy technology at the country’s largest ethanol production facility.
The project, titled “Methane Fermentation System JCM Project for Utilization of Waste-to-Energy at Ethanol Brewery Plant,” will be implemented at Zernoff Ethanol. The facility generates approximately 900 tons of distillery residues each day as part of its production process.
Through the installation of a methane fermentation (anaerobic digestion) system, around 250 tons of these residues per day will be converted into biogas. The biogas will then be used directly in the distillation process, reducing the plant’s reliance on natural gas.
The initiative is sponsored by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which promotes the international deployment of Japanese advanced low-carbon technologies (Program to Facilitate Overseas Promotion of Low Carbon Technology Through the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM)).
By recovering energy from production residues, the project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 10,000 tCO2 annually while improving the facility’s energy efficiency and resource utilization.
SDG Impact Japan is involved in the project as the Japan side representative implementing entity, working with local partners and stakeholders to advance the project within the JCM framework. The project, currently in the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, aims to enter the Demonstration phase in summer 2026.
* PIN (Project Idea Note): A document used to explain the outline of the project to the partner country and confirm whether there is an objection.
