The “frenzy” of renewable energy plant development needs to be rethought, but natural gas and nuclear power will continue to play an important role in the energy transition process. Also, after this year’s European Parliament elections, the climate at European level will be closer to Romania’s strategic energy goals, said MEP Cristian Bușoi.

“The renewables frenzy remains an ambitious and growing goal for the future but needs to be rethought in the sense that we need massive investment in storage,” he said, at the conference “Digitalization and Energy Efficiency – Constanța”.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, Bușoi said he has sensed a change in European attitudes towards natural gas and nuclear energy, in the sense that they are seen as important in the energy transition, a process aimed at making Europe a clean continent.

According to Bușoi, the EU should support gas production in those European countries that have such resources, such as Romania. There are also many EU countries that support nuclear energy and this energy source should be developed where politically possible.

“As long as we need gas, it is better to increase production within the EU first to replace Russian gas and even after this dependence is eliminated,” said Bușoi.

Thus, given that Romania has gas reserves, it will be able to be an energy security provider during the energy transition, provided it creates “the necessary interconnections and partnerships”.

Once the exploitation of gas from the Black Sea starts and Romania has secured its internal needs, it will be able to export energy security.

According to Bușoi, after the parliamentary elections, the 2050 target will be maintained, but there will probably be more openness to rethink the energy transition, to focus more on economic competitiveness and jobs and on the use of nuclear power and gas to reach the 2050 targets.

This potential opening will also be possible because the Green group in the European Parliament is expected to “fortunately” reduce its number of MEPs.

The conference “Digitalization and Energy Efficiency – Constanța” was organized by Energynomics, with the support of our partners: ADC, Elektra Renewable Support, FPPG, WALDEVAR Energy.