Wind energy in Romania

General

According to the Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources the target for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in the year 2020 for Romania is 24% (in the year 2005 the share was 17.8%).

Renewable electricity: wind

In September 2011 he European Commission has finally given clearance for Romania’s delayed green certificate scheme aimed at supporting wind energy investment. The scheme sees wind energy producers get two green certificates per MWh of electricity produced up to 2017, after which one certificate per MWh will be awarded. The amendments to Law 220/2008 approved in the Chamber of Deputies in 2010 lay down the following: 2 green certificates, until 2017, and 1 green certificate, as from 2018, for each 1 MWh produced and delivered by the producers of electricity from wind energy. The promotion system shall apply for a period of: 15 years, for electricity produced according to paragraph  in new electric units/ power plants.

Romania is on the third place in Europe in terms of the timeframe with which the building permit for a wind power plant can be obtained: on average, 15 months are necessary for the obtaining of a building permit for a wind power plant (the European average 42 months). The average number of authorities that must be contacted for the obtaining of the permit in Romania is 13.10, the European average being 18.16 (for onshore installations).

Structural funds financing were performed within the Sectoral Operational Programme “Increase of Economic Competitiveness” (SOP IEC). Ministry of Environment Order 1342/2009 on the approval of the Guide on financing the Programme for the production of electricity from RES.

Future programme changes expected

In 2008, TRANSELECTRICA drew up a Substantiation Study on the company’s strategy related to the integration of wind power plants into the national energy system. The study analyses the functional features of the wind power plants and their implications on the national energy systems. Inter alia, it shows that:

· in Romania, the problem of connecting the wind power plants to NES is currently characterized by the concentration of applications in Dobrogea area. Taking into consideration the relatively low consumption of the area, the development of the nuclear power plant (4×710 MW), the projects for the construction of thermal energy plants and the interconnection links, there is the problem of connecting such plants to ETG/EDG as regards the capacities of the grids in Dobrogea area and the voltage adjustment in the area.

· The applications for the connection of wind power plants to NES in Transylvania and Moldavia areas do not yet pose special problems in terms of the capacities of the power evacuation grids from the respective areas.

The total wind power installed capacity of wind farms in Romania amounts to 982 MWe. The planned extension is  3,200 MWe in 2015 and 4,000 in 2020. In accordance with the data issued by European Wind Energy Association, with a probability of over 90%, wind power units with an installed power of 956 and 1067 MW shall be installed in 2012 and 2013. It has been considered that by 2020 no offshore installations will be established since the attention (and funds) shall be concentrated on the establishment of onshore installations; the problem related to the discharge of the power generated in Dobrogea region emphasizes the difficulties encountered in the establishment of offshore installations.

Sources

Institute for Renewable Energy,  Poland.

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/national_renewable_energy_action_plan_romania_en.pdf

http://www.renewable-energy-sources.com/2009/10/26/romania-prices-for-energy-from-renewable-source/

http://www.windpowermonthly.com/channel/policyeconomics/news/1093470/EC-gives-approves-Romanian-green-certificates/

http://ws2-23.myloadspring.com/sites/renew/countries/Romania/default.aspx Last update:

last updated: January 2012

This information can be referenced without permission provided that the source is mentioned completely and correctly: 'Interactive EurObserv'ER Database, http://www.eurobserv-er.org (February 2011)' 

Suggestions for improvements to the policy description can be sent to EurObserv'ER by e-mail: project@eurobserv-er.org 

The EurObserv'ER barometer is a project supported by the European Commission within the DG ENER 'Intelligent Energy Europe' programme and by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management Agency. The EurObserv'ER Barometer is the result of the investigation and research work of its authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

This information can be referenced without permission provided that the source is mentioned completely and correctly: 'Interactive EurObserv'ER Database, http://www.eurobserv-er.org (date of last update)'

Suggestions for improvements to the policy description can be sent to EurObserv'ER by e-mail: project@eurobserv-er.org

The EurObserv'ER barometer is a project supported by the European Commission within the DG TREN 'Intelligent Energy Europe' programme and by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management Agency. The EurObserv'ER Barometer is the result of the investigation and research work of its authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.