The green transition cannot be accomplished with green energy alone and it would be foolish to give up natural gas and other resources and wait for things to go well, said on Wednesday, the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, at the Romanian International Gas Conference – RIGC 2023.

“Of course we have a common agenda, that’s why we are here, not only because we appreciate this sector, but also because we can play a common role. We can have a united voice in Brussels and in other places where there is no understanding very clearly you can’t make the green transition with green energy alone. Otherwise it would require very large production… and it would be foolish to also give up natural gas and all other resources and expect it to go well. We said it in the past years, it is very difficult to heat citizens’ households in winter, we also have industrial consumers, it is impossible. We like solar panels, of course, we like green energy, but we can’t rely only on that. We like that the air is clean, but the energy supply must be secure. So, again, I think we are all on the same side, we all have the same plans. Our voices speak in unison and we must work together,” said Burduja, according to Agerpres.

He said that the world is going through some “very interesting” times and things are more complicated than a few years ago, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created an additional burden on the security of supply in Europe, especially with regard to natural gas. In this context, we must also rely on other sources of supply, the minister pointed out.

“I think that Romania has a privileged position. We have many resources of our own when we talk about gas, on-shore and off-shore. We have been exploiting natural gas in the Black Sea since the 70s already and recently, close to the shore, through Black Sea Oil & Gas Company we have managed to bring one billion cubic meters/year, approximately. Of course, in 2027 we have to see what will happen. We can’t wait for the Neptun Deep project, which will bring another ten billion cubic meters into our system and into the European system. So that we pay a lot of attention to the project and I’m happy to tell you that the project is going well. Obviously it’s a very big investment, 4 billion euros, a lot, and we want to make sure that the project is completed at the right time, that the gas is used as a source to ensure the energy security of Europe and Romania is happy to assume this role,” the Minister of Energy also stated.

The Oil and Gas Employers’ Federation (FPPG), under the high patronage of the Ministry of Energy, organized, between 7 and 8 November, the 6th edition of the event Romanian International Gas Conference – RIGC 2023, with the theme “Redefining security of supply The potential of new technologies for a sustainable energy transition”.