After a decade of slow growth, Romania is now set to significantly boost its wind energy capacity. During his speech at the Power Shift Summit in Bucharest on October 29, Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja outlined the country’s strategy to expand its wind energy sector. Romania is focusing on several key initiatives: launching onshore wind CfD (Contracts for Difference) auctions, expanding its power grid with EU support and planning to have the first offshore wind farm in the Black Sea operational by 2032.

Currently, Romania has 3 GW of onshore wind capacity, which provides around 16% of the country’s electricity. However, in the last decade, the pace of new wind farm development has slowed significantly. Now, Romania aims to boost the share of wind in its electricity mix to 36% by 2030. The country benefits from excellent wind resources and substantial experience in the sector. Notably, Romania is home to what was once Europe’s largest onshore wind farm: the 600 MW Fântânele-Cogealac complex. The country is also developing new wind projects, such as a 140 MW wind farm in Vaslui using GE Vernova turbines, and Vestas has orders for a 190 MW wind farm in Buzau and two additional projects totaling 150 MW. These projects are expected to come online next year.

Key Milestones and Future Auctions Romania is set to launch its first onshore wind auction in November, aiming to add 1.5 GW of new wind capacity. The auction will offer two-sided CfDs supported by EU funding, with a price ceiling of €82/MWh. Another auction is planned for 2025 to further boost onshore wind capacity.

In addition to onshore wind, Romania is making notable progress on offshore wind. The country passed the Offshore Wind Energy Law in April, with the aim of having its first offshore wind farm in the Black Sea operational by 2032. The government has identified two potential sites for bottom-fixed offshore turbines and plans to launch the auction process for these projects next year.

Grid Expansion and Modernization To support the growing share of renewable energy in its electricity mix, Romania is also focused on upgrading its energy infrastructure. Minister Burduja highlighted the government’s plans to strengthen the country’s power grid, which is essential for integrating new renewable energy capacity. Romania is investing €1.2 billion in grid modernization through the EU Modernisation Fund. Additionally, €150 million in public funds will be allocated to support energy storage projects, which are crucial for stabilizing a grid increasingly dependent on intermittent renewable energy sources.

Addressing Grid Connection Challenges Romania faces challenges in ensuring that its expanding wind energy projects are properly integrated into the grid. Currently, up to 10 GW of wind projects at various stages of development are waiting for grid connection approval. Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, emphasized the importance of maintaining a steady pipeline of new wind installations and CfD auctions to avoid the “stop-and-go” approach that has hindered progress in the past. He also pointed out the need for Transelectrica, Romania’s transmission system operator (TSO), to invest more in grid infrastructure and provide better visibility on available grid connection capacity.

Dickson expressed optimism about Romania’s progress, stating, “It’s very good that Romania is building new wind farms again and is about to run its first CfD auction for onshore wind. And it’s great that they are preparing to start offshore wind in the Black Sea too. It’s also good to see the country focusing on modernizing and expanding its electricity grids, which are crucial to supporting this renewable energy push.”

Conclusion Romania’s ambitious plans to revitalize its wind energy sector are a significant step towards achieving its renewable energy goals. By expanding both onshore and offshore wind capacity and modernizing its grid infrastructure, Romania is positioning itself to meet its target of generating 36% of its electricity from wind by 2030. However, the success of these plans will depend on a steady flow of investments, timely grid connections, and continued support for storage and modernization projects.