Centralised heating systems are becoming a pillar of the energy transition, and Romania is looking for its own path to sustainability. The conference “Green District Heating: Transition to District Heating 5.0” brought together officials, specialists and international partners to discuss the future of integrating district heating with renewable energy, advanced storage and efficient cogeneration solutions. The event was marked by the launch of a feasibility study that could help redefine the district heating paradigm in Bucharest.
“The energy transition is a matter of balance and moderation,” said Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Energy, emphasising that Romania needs to combine traditional sources of production with innovation. The official highlighted the funding attracted by the ministry for the modernisation of Bucharest’s CETs and the exploration of geothermal energy, and drew attention to the 1.4 billion lei debt owed by the capital’s city hall to Elcen, a major obstacle to the development of the system. More bluntly, Claudiu Crețu, Elcen’s managing director, stressed that “without debt repayment, without investment financing, modernisation remains just a promise.” He emphasised the progress made, but also the need for urgent measures to halt losses and transform Elcen into an efficient company capable of generating profits.
Balance in energy policies is essential for Romania’s future, emphasised Senator Lorant Antal, Chair of the Committee on Energy, Energy Infrastructure and Mineral Resources. “Romania has a good energy mix, but balanced decisions are needed.” He emphasised the importance of a coherent energy strategy, given that the country has not had a clear framework document for the sector since 2019.
The partnership between Norway and Romania continues to be an important pillar in supporting the green transition. The representative of the Norwegian Embassy reaffirmed the commitment to sustainable projects and announced a new round of funding through EEA and Norwegian grants, with Romania to be the second largest beneficiary.
A broad overview of the technical challenges was provided by Gabriel Andronache, vice-president of ANRE. He presented data showing the decrease in the number of centralised heating systems in Romania: “Romania has only 48 SACETs left out of the 250 existing before 1989. Investments in these systems are essential for the future”. The official also referred to legislative initiatives to encourage investment in cleaner technologies. “We need a concerted approach in which operators, authorities and the regulator work together for sustainable solutions,” Mr Andronache said. ANRE has approved the authorisation of 20 modular power plants in Bucharest, designed to reduce losses on the district heating network.
The Norwegian solution for Bucharest
A centrepiece of the conference was the presentation of the feasibility study carried out by the experts Audit IT&C SRL (Romania), in partnership with Norwegian specialists from Audit IT&D, for the benefit of Elcen (Romania).”By integrating renewable sources and energy storage, we can transform the district heating system into a model of efficiency,” explained Adrian Tudora, deputy director of Elcen.
The study analysed two modernisation scenarios, both based on the use of solar and wind energy, alongside electric boilers and advanced heat storage systems. In the optimal scenario, Elcen could become a major player in the energy balancing market, utilising batteries to offset fluctuations in electricity prices. The estimated cost of the investment is around 19 million euros, with an amortisation period of 12 years. It would also reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 1650 tonnes per year, generating substantial savings in carbon allowance costs.
“If we don’t make these investments now, in a few years we will face an even bigger crisis,” warned the Audit IT&C representative, emphasising that the project has not only an economic impact, but also an essential one for the quality of life in Bucharest.
The study was conducted from October 2024 to February 2025 and was funded with the support of grants from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 under the “Bilateral Co-operation in the Green Transition”.