Market Trends of Romania Wind Energy Industry
Onshore Wind Energy to Dominate the Market
- Romania's total installed wind energy capacity was from onshore wind farms is dominating. Wind energy production has been growing in Romania over the past decade. Romania's wind energy sector is the second-largest renewable energy source after hydropower.
- According to Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy 2023 data, wind energy generated about 12.56% of Romania's electricity, standing at second position among renewables, behind hydropower.
- Increasing government policies supporting the onshore wind farms are also pushing the wind sector in Romania. In August 2023, Romania launched its first auction for a contracts-for-difference (CfD) support scheme, which will tender 2,000 megawatts of solar PV and wind energy capacity projects, backed by 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs).
- In January 2023, Vestas announced the closing of a turbine deal with DTEK Renewable International Moldova Eolian for the Ruginosa wind project with 600 MW capacity in Romania. The project will feature ten V162 turbines at 6 MW and have a height of 125 meters.
- According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) statistics, the onshore wind energy installed capacity in Romania reached 3,015 megawatts in 2022.
- Romania includes second-highest wind potential in Europe as it contains the Dobrogea region, which consists of Tulcea and Constanța counties. The country has an expected wind power potential of 14,000 Megawatt, out of which only a small portion has only been developed.
- Although the installed wind energy capacity has remained constant for the past few years, upcoming wind energy projects and plans to increase the renewable energy share in the country's power generation mix are expected to drive the market during the forecast period.
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Increasing Adoption of Alternative Energy Sources Restraining Market Growth
- Romania's renewable energy mix is dominated by wind and hydropower. But this scenario has begun to change fast with the growth of solar energy and bioenergy.
- Romania's solar potential is widespread as well. The country benefits from about 210 sunny days per year and direct solar irradiation levels of around 1100 to 1350 kWh ∙ m–2 per year, which are considered viable for developing large-scale solar PV projects.
- According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) data, the total capacity of Solar energy sources as of 2022 was 1,414 megawatts (MW), increasing from 1,394 MW in 2021, thus showing the active role of Increasing Solar Energy Installations, restraining the Wind Energy Market in Romania during the forecast period.
- Solar energy has witnessed substantial growth in Romania in recent years, mainly driven by decreasing prices of solar panels, favorable government policies, and their ability to be installed on a small scale for households and commercial centers.
- In 2022, the Romanian government revealed plans to hold the country's first tender for utility-scale renewables projects in the first half of 2022, of which around 2 GW were expected to come from solar power. The ultimate goal of the government is to achieve at least 3 GW of additional renewable capacity by 2026.
- In April 2023, Amsterdam-based Independent Power Producer Photon Energy NV announced that it had finalised three solar PV projects totalling 6 MWp near the city of Calafat, Romania, and connected the plants to the grid. The newly commissioned solar farms have enabled Photon to pass the symbolic milestone of 100 MWp and reach 103.6 MWp of combined generation capacity across its markets.
- Therefore such developments finally results in solar power industry in the country growing faster than the wind power industry. This is expected to slow down the market during the forecast period.
