Romania does not have a clear legislation for Prosumers and Energy Communities, and although the law is in the Parliament, it raises new difficulties generated by the increase of the threshold from 400 KW to 900 KW and extremely harmful amendments, and regarding the communities, the subject seems to be avoided entirely, says the Association of Prosumers and Energy Communities of Romania.
“A close look at Component C6. Energy reveals a worrying situation of closed coal and hydrocarbon-based power generation capacity, with no alternatives being brought forward. In terms of new renewable electricity generation capacity, the Romanian state is committed to completing, by the second quarter of 2024, a capacity of 950 MW of energy from renewable sources (wind and solar energy), brought into operation and connected to the grid. So far, we don’t think we have 1%. We are talking about state investments, not private ones. A Report of the Court of Accounts, at the end of 2023, drew attention to the non-fulfillment of the proposed objective for 2022, regarding the increase of installed power in new energy production capacities from renewable sources, with a negative impact on electricity production and energy independence, but also the fact that Romania does not have an approved National Energy Strategy. Even more, Romania imports energy with a deficit balance of 735.8 million euros,” says Dan Pîrșan, president of the Association of Prosumers and Energy Communities of Romania, quoted by Agerpres.
According to a press release of the association, the RepowerEU Program is extremely vast, but the authorities in Bucharest ignore the fact that the European Union requires member states to adopt provisions to ensure that all new buildings are “prepared for solar energy”.
In this context, the specialists recall the obligation to install solar energy on the roof for: all new public and commercial buildings with a usable area of more than 250 square meters, until 2026; all existing public and commercial buildings with a useful surface of more than 250 sqm, until 2027; all new residential buildings by 2029.
“Our concern grows about the lack of clear legislation for Prosumers and Energy Communities. The Law on Prosumers is in Parliament, with difficulties caused by the increase of the threshold from 400 KW to 900 KW and extremely harmful amendments. As for the Communities of Energy, the subject seems to be completely avoided in the legislation,” notes the Association of Prosumers and Energy Communities of Romania.
Last week, the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Adrian Câciu, announced in a press release that Romania will receive 288 million euro from the European Commission (EC) for the implementation of investments through RePowerEU.