Romania must accelerate the construction of new power plants for renewable energy, in order to replace as soon as possible those that use coal as fuel, said on Tuesday, Elena Popescu, director with the Ministry of Energy, at the 10th edition of CRE’s Romanian Energy Day.

“The decision of phasing out coal is a very difficult one, with huge costs in terms of maintaining energy security in the country and mitigating social issues. Accelerating the development of clean energy capacities which will replace the coal-based capacity is a must for Romania. And the timing is crucial in this process,” she said, according to Agerpres.

For Romania, gas is a transition fuel, but we must hurry with its use, because, at the European level, natural gas also begins to be taxed as a polluting fuel, if it is not mixed with non-polluting gases, such as hydrogen.

“Ambitions are very high for everyone. Usually, investments, especially those with new technologies, take time and flexibility is needed for each country and local community,” Popescu added.

These elements have an impact on the whole community if not taken early, and could lead to increased poverty, she said.

“For countries that have coal in the energy mix, such as Romania, the ‘Fit for 55’ package clearly means that they have to give up coal until it is completely replaced,” the ministerial official added.