2024

În contextul politicilor climatice ambițioase asumate la nivel european, următorii 10 ani sunt decisivi pentru transformarea profundă a industriilor de ciment și var, astfel încât să rămână competitive într-o economie cu emisii reduse.

With stricter climate rules, industries that emit a lot of carbon face tighter deadlines to reduce emissions. To stay competitive, the cement and lime sectors must adopt new strategies and invest in low-carbon technologies. These changes will be costly and complex. While Romania lags behind other countries like Bulgaria and Poland in carbon capture projects, cement and lime will still be vital for Romania's growth. This is due to the country's planned infrastructure projects, such as new roads and buildings by 2030. Recommendations for the Next 5-10 Years To succeed, industries and the government must commit to using the best methods for cutting emissions. Here are key steps for the next 5 to 10 years: Deploy new renewable energy capacities: As the sector moves towards decarbonisation, energy demand is expected to rise, particularly due to carbon capture. Ensuring that this additional energy demand is clean will require substantial amounts of low-carbon energy and additional capacities to support both self-consumption and reducing the carbon intensity of Romania’s grid electricity supply. Accelerate CO2 transport and storage infrastructure development: Given the existing regulatory and permitting barriers and limited ambition for advancing CCS/CCUS technologies that have hindered progress on CO2 transport and storage infrastructure, public authorities must strengthen their commitment to advancing CCS solutions. Strengthen the cooperation between the cement and lime industries and hydrocarbon producers: Romania’s significant potential for geological CO2 storage capacities and its obligation to capture and store 9 Mt of CO2 annually until 2030, as outlined in the NZIA, requires an accelerated dialogue between the owners of depleted gas and oil fields and industries that will rely heavily on CCS (such as the production of cement, lime, fertilisers and oil refining). The dialogue is particularly relevant given the discussions around the adoption of a National Carbon Management Strategy. Speed up investments and the disbursement of public funding: CCS is a costly yet essential technology for decarbonising the cement and lime sectors. Both the disbursement of funds and private financing are essential for kickstarting deep decarbonisation investments. Design complementary funding mechanisms: In addition to issuing green bonds to raise funding, it is important to design new financial mechanisms such as Carbon Contracts for Difference, a flexible funding mechanism offering industrial operators a stable carbon price through a contract between the operator and the government. This can help finance operational costs based on actual emissions reductions. Adopt a clear, ambitious yet feasible Green Public Procurement Plan for construction products: Implementing a well-designed and ambitious GPP system is a complementary tool that can indirectly compensate decarbonisation costs and stimulate market creation for low-carbon cement, lime and other construction materials. In conclusion In conclusion, the pace and effectiveness of the cement and lime industries’ transition toward decarbonisation depend not only on the companies’ investment plans but also on robust policy support. Sabina Strîmbovschi, EPG Senior Researcher Sabina works as a Senior Researcher in industrial decarbonisation within the Clean Economy Programme of EPG. She holds a PhD in Political Science (International Relations) from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA, Bucharest). Before joining EPG, Sabina worked for one of the largest business support organizations in Romania, where she coordinated the activities of the European and international organizations office. Over the last few years, she has been involved in two volunteer organizations. She served as an affiliated expert and board member at one of the most important think-tanks on European Affairs in Romania – the Center of European Expertise (Europuls). She is also a member of Future Energy Leaders Romania – the youth program of the Romanian National Committee of the World Energy Council. Contact: sabina.strimbovschi@enpg.ro

Fondul Social pentru Climă (FSC) se dorește a fi un instrument care sporește eficiența și atenuează impactul asupra bunăstării ca efect al extinderii tarifării emisiilor de carbon în sectoarele clădirilor și al transportului rutier prin introducerea sistemului de comercializare a certificatelor de emisii (ETS2). FSC va ajuta gospodăriile vulnerabile și utilizatorii de mijloace de transport să reacționeze la creșterea prețurilor la combustibilii fosili prin facilitarea investițiilor în soluții cu emisii reduse de carbon.  Acesta poate oferi, de asemenea, un sprijin direct temporar al veniturilor pentru a acoperi impactul inițial asupra grupurilor vulnerabile până când investițiile pe termen lung își produc efectele, dar acesta nu este principalul mecanism de sprijin. Important este ca intervențiile FSC să abordeze în primul rând potențialul impact legat de introducerea ETS2. Această limitare a domeniului de aplicare, precum și cea a bugetului, înseamnă că acest instrument nu poate aborda problemele generale de sărăcie energetică ale unei țări. Cu toate acestea, veniturile suplimentare din ETS2 (sau alte surse de finanțare) pot fi utilizate în mod semnificativ pentru atingerea unor obiective similare în afara domeniului de aplicare direct al FSC, inclusiv prin mecanisme de finanțare complementare.   În România, cea mai mare incidență a ETS2 va fi limitată la minoritatea gospodăriilor conectate la rețeaua de gaze naturale, care se află în general în afara celor mai mici categorii de venituri. Pentru o gospodărie cu un consum mediu lunar de gaze naturale de 100 de metri cubi, un preț al carbonului de 45 EUR/t are un impact lunar de aproximativ 8,2 EUR/lună. Deși nu intră direct în domeniul de aplicare al FSC, se preconizează că numeroasele gospodării rurale care utilizează biomasa lemnoasă pentru încălzire, deși nu sunt afectate în mod direct de ETS2, vor face tranziția către surse de încălzire mai convenabile - furnizarea de ajutor pentru ca acestea să treacă la soluții cu emisii reduse reprezintă o oportunitate. În zonele urbane, în ciuda declinului recent, încălzirea centralizată rămâne o opțiune relevantă care ar putea fi facilitată de FSC. Impactul va fi mai răspândit în rândul utilizatorilor din sectorul transporturilor, unde combustibilii fosili reglementați de ETS2 domină mixul de combustibili. Pentru un preț al carbonului de 45 EUR/t, creșterea simulată a prețului este de 0,12 EUR pe litru de motorină și de 0,10 EUR pe litru de benzină. Îmbunătățirea accesului, a calității și a performanțelor în materie de emisii ale transportului public și accesul la vehicule cu emisii reduse sunt opțiuni viabile pentru punerea în aplicare a FSC. În ansamblu, conformitatea cu FSC va necesita eforturi semnificative, colectarea de date, cartografierea programelor existente și justificări pentru măsuri și investiții suplimentare, precum și etape și obiective credibile. Cu toate acestea, acest proces vine, de asemenea, cu oportunități semnificative. Recomandări pentru decidenții din România Să profite de oportunitățile oferite de FSC pentru a aborda sărăcia energetică (și din perspectiva transporturilor) mai sistematic în România. Efortul necesar pentru colectarea datelor și conceperea PSC va fi substanțial și, cu ajutorul FSC sau al altor programe de asistență tehnică și de consolidare a capacităților finanțate de UE, ar putea fi utilizat în mod optim prin regândirea interacțiunilor dintre politicile climatice, energetice și sociale, prin colectarea și gestionarea mai multor date, reducerea erorii de excludere și abordarea surselor multiple și concomitente de vulnerabilitate. Să conceapă măsurile din PSC în sinergie cu alte instrumente de finanțare, existente sau potențiale. Există multe interacțiuni posibile între FSC și PNRR, Programul Regional, Programul de Dezvoltare Durabilă, Programul pentru Tranziție Justă și Administrația Fondului de Mediu. Atunci când intervențiile necesare nu se încadrează în domeniul de aplicare sau în bugetul FSC, acestea pot fi completate prin intermediul altor fonduri. Să permită o consultare cuprinzătoare și semnificativă pentru a se asigura că măsurile și investițiile sunt adaptate corect la nevoile grupurilor vulnerabile și sunt concepute într-o manieră incluzivă cu beneficiarii și autoritățile locale. Ana-Maria Niculicea, EPG Researcher Ana-Maria Niculicea is a Researcher at Energy Policy Group, in the Clean Economy programme. She coordinates research activities on climate governance with a focus on  enhancing national climate governance and the social acceptance of the transition to a low carbon economy. Additionally, she conducts research on social acceptance of CCUS technologies in the Horizon2020 ConsenCUS project.   She holds a MSc in Politics, Economics and Philosophy from University of Hamburg and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration. Contact: ana.niculicea@enpg.ro

The Social Climate Fund (SCF) is meant to be a tool that increases the effectiveness and mitigates the welfare impact of the expansion of carbon pricing to buildings and road transport through the introduction of the Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS2). The SCF will help vulnerable households and transport users respond to higher fossil fuel prices by enabling investments into low-carbon solutions.  It can also provide temporary direct income support to cover the initial impacts on vulnerable groups until the long-lasting investments take effect, but this is not the main support mechanism. Importantly, the SCF interventions need to primarily address potential impacts related to the introduction of ETS2. This limitation of scope, as well as that of budget, mean that this instrument cannot address the overall energy poverty problems of a country. However, additional ETS2 revenues (or other funding sources) can be used meaningfully toward similar aims outside the direct scope of SCF, including through complementary financing mechanisms.   In Romania, the highest incidence of ETS2 will be limited to the minority of households connected to the natural gas grid, who are generally outside the lowest income brackets. For a household with an average monthly consumption of natural gas of 100 cubic meters, a carbon price of 45€/t results in a monthly impact of around €8.2/month. While outside the direct scope of the SCF, the numerous rural households who use woody biomass for heating, while not directly affected by ETS2, are expected to transition to more convenient heating sources - providing help for them to leapfrog to low-emissions solutions represents an opportunity. In urban areas, despite the recent decline, district heating remains a relevant option that could be enabled by the SCF. The impact will be more widespread on transport users, where fossil fuels covered by ETS2 dominate the fuel mix. For a carbon price of 45€/t, the simulated price increase is 0.12€ per liter of diesel and 0.10€ pe liter of gasoline. Improving access, quality and emissions performance of public transport and access to low-emissions vehicles are viable options for the implementation of the SCF. All in all, compliance with the SCF will require significant efforts, data collection, mapping of existing programmes, and justifications for additional measures and investments, as well as credible milestones and targets. However, this process also comes with significant opportunities. Recommendations for Romanian decision makers Seize the opportunity of the SCF to tackle energy (and transport) poverty more systematically in Romania. The effort needed for collecting data and designing the SCPs will be substantial and could, with the help of SCF or other EU-funded technical assistance and capacity building programmes, be used optimally by rethinking the climate-energy-social policy interactions, by acquiring and managing more data, reducing the exclusion error, and tackling the multiple and concurring sources of vulnerability. Design SCP interventions in synergy with other funding instruments, either existing or potential. There are many possible interactions between SCF and the NRRP, Regional Programme, Sustainable Development Programme, the Just Transition Programme, and the Environmental Fund Administration. When needed interventions do not fit within the scope or budget of the SCF, they can be complemented through other funds. Enable wide and meaningful consultation to ensure the measures and investments are correctly tailored to the needs of vulnerable groups and are designed in an inclusive manner with beneficiaries and local authorities. Ana-Maria Niculicea, EPG Researcher Ana-Maria Niculicea is a Researcher at Energy Policy Group, in the Clean Economy programme. She coordinates research activities on climate governance with a focus on  enhancing national climate governance and the social acceptance of the transition to a low carbon economy. Additionally, she conducts research on social acceptance of CCUS technologies in the Horizon2020 ConsenCUS project.   She holds a MSc in Politics, Economics and Philosophy from University of Hamburg and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration. Contact: ana.niculicea@enpg.ro

Ministerul Energiei a transmis recent Comisiei Europene versiunea finală a Planului Național Integrat în domeniul Energiei și Schimbărilor Climatice (PNIESC), documentul-cadru prin care România își stabilește obiectivele și măsurile pentru decarbonizare, aliniate cu țintele europene pentru 2030 și cu angajamentul de a atinge neutralitatea climatică până în 2050.  Publicat pentru prima oară pentru consultare la finalul anului 2018, proiectul Planului a trecut printr-o lungă serie de modificări până la varianta finală. În ultimii ani, experții EPG au participat la consultările organizate de Ministerul Energiei privind acest document cu o deosebită importanță strategică și au comunicat necesitatea unei serii de ajustări, astfel încât planul să fie aliniat obiectivelor europene cât și altor strategii relevante ale României. Versiunea actualizată a PNIESC propune ținte mai ambițioase pentru creșterea ponderii energiei regenerabile până în 2030, reflectând o mai mare determinare în direcția decarbonizării economiei și a sectorului energetic.   Cu toate acestea, versiunea finală a Planului prezintă încă unele ambiguități ce vor necesita clarificări prin strategii viitoare. Printre prioritățile menționate de experții EPG se regăsesc dezvoltarea producției de hidrogen regenerabil, extinderea infrastructurii de transport și stocare, cât și dezvoltarea infrastructurii necesare pentru captarea și stocarea carbonului. Ministerul Energiei are responsabilitatea de a aborda aceste aspecte esențiale pentru a asigura României un cadru complet și durabil în tranziția către o economie cu zero emisii nete.  Citate Radu Dudău – EPG Co-founder & President: "Noul PNIESC, publicat de Ministerul Energiei, în formă actualizată, în octombrie 2024, reprezintă un remarcabil pas înainte în asumarea de către Guvernul României a unor ținte mai ambițioase în tranziția către un sistem energetic eficient, rezilient și cu emisii scăzute de gaze cu efect de seră.   Printre elementele notabile de progres se numără ținta pentru surse regenerabile de energie de 38,4% în 2030 din consumul total final de energie la nivel național (față de doar 30,7% în planul din 2021); stabilirea unui obiectiv de reducere a emisiilor din sectoarele guvernate de ESR (Effort Sharing Regulation, adică transporturi, clădiri, agricultură, mică industrie și deșeuri) de -12,7% până în 2030 (față de ținta precedentă de doar -2%, stabilită în 2018); și asumarea unui obiectiv de decarbonizare a economiei mai ambițios decât în Strategia pe termen lung de reducere a emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră (STL): 96% în 2040 și 105% în 2050 față de nivelul de emisii al anului 1990.  Astfel, alături de STL și de recent-publicata Strategie Energetică Națională, PNIESC articulează un parcurs mai ambițios și mai coerent al sectorului energetic românesc, mai bine aliniat la comandamentele Pactului Verde European. Pe de altă parte, o serie de politici și măsuri pentru realizarea obiectivelor PNIESC sunt încă lipsite de substanța necesară, astfel că Planul rămâne, parțial, un document de intenții a căror realizare va trebui să fie determinată pe parcurs." Luciana Miu – EPG Head of Clean Economy: "Noua versiune a PNIESC este considerabil mai ambițioasă decât varianta inițială din  2023, vizând o reducere a emisiilor cu 96% până în 2040 și atingerea de emisii nete negative în 2050, în principal prin intermediul rezervoarelor naturale de carbon, precum pădurile. În ciuda ambițiilor crescute, dependența PNIESC de absorbțiile naturale de carbon are limite, mai ales fiindcă este bazată pe o revizuire a modului de raportare, mai degrabă decât pe o dezvoltare sporită a absorbțiilor. În plus, incertitudinile legate de impactul schimbărilor climatice asupra potențialului de absorbție al pădurilor nu sunt neglijabile.  Pe de altă parte, PNIESC intensifică măsurile de decarbonizare pe termen scurt, stabilind obiective ambițioase pentru clădiri, industrie și transporturi. Se propun mai multe măsuri de sprijin financiar, inclusiv extinderea achizițiilor publice ecologice, stimulente pentru decarbonizarea industriei și angajamente pentru noi strategii de gestionare a carbonului. Sunt incluse măsuri specifice pentru atenuarea sărăciei energetice, ceea ce face ca planul să fie mai robust în ceea ce privește sprijinirea unei tranziții echitabile din punct de vedere social. Cu toate acestea, persistă discrepanțe substanțiale, în special în ceea ce privește obiectivele sectoriale specifice, infrastructura pentru captarea carbonului și planurile detaliate pentru hidrogenul regenerabil.  În ansamblu, PNIESC consolidează planificarea în domeniul climei, însă rămân lacune critice în ceea ce privește dezvoltarea infrastructurii, prioritizarea resurselor regenerabile și planurile socioeconomice pe termen lung. Atingerea reducerii de 96% până în 2040 va necesita investiții substanțiale, planificare strategică și acțiuni imediate pentru a consolida aceste obiective ambițioase, domenii în care Planul ar fi putut oferi orientări mai clare. " Alina Arsani – EPG Head of Energy Systems: "Varianta finală a PNIESC aduce îmbunătățiri notabile față de versiunea inițială din 2023. Pe lângă ținte mai ambițioase pentru reducerea emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră și creșterea capacităților instalate din surse regenerabile de energie (SRE) pentru 2050 la 33,3 GW energie solară și 21,3 GW energie eoliană față de 30,5 GW, respectiv 16 GW în varianta anterioară a planului, remarcăm și creșterea capacităților de stocare a energiei până la 1,2 GW pentru 2030 și 2,0 GW pentru 2035. Acestea din urmă sunt esențiale pentru facilitarea integrării SRE și implicit deciziile de investiții.    Cu toate acestea, au rămas anumite aspecte care necesită clarificări și ajustări, precum necesitatea unui plan concret privind utilizarea gazului natural până în 2040, respectiv 2050, care să ofere mai multe informații despre tranziția către hidrogen, precum capacitățile instalate din SRE necesare producerii de hidrogen regenerabil, infrastructura de transport și stocare, importurile și exporturile și, nu în ultimul rând, integrarea biometanului în rețelele existente. În plus, sectorul energetic ar trebui să vizeze o țintă mai ambițioasă pentru reducerea emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră. Conform analizelor EPG, decarbonizarea sectorului energetic este posibilă în anul 2040 într-un scenariu în care capacitatea instalată din SRE este mai ambițioasă, corelată cu capacități semnificative de stocare a energiei electrice.  Salutăm creșterea obiectivelor privind vehiculele electrice și plug-in; totuși, este nevoie și de un cadru mai ambițios privind stimularea achiziției de autoturisme electrice și plug-in și descurajarea achiziției de autoturisme cu ardere internă second-hand. Apreciem și menționarea Legii privind energia eoliană offshore în document, alături de ținta pentru primele capacități instalate în anul 2032. Totuși, considerăm că ar trebui evidențiată mai clar diferența dintre energia eoliană offshore și onshore, având în vedere diferențele semnificative de factori de capacitate...

Clădirile sunt unul dintre principalii consumatori de resurse energetice și emițători de CO2 la nivel global. În statele membre ale Uniunii Europene, aproximativ 40% din energia consumată de utilizatorii finali este utilizată în clădiri, în principal pentru încălzire  răcire și apă caldă. Directiva revizuită privind performanța energetică a clădirilor (EPBD) solicită statelor membre ale UE să introducă măsuri care să abordeze impactul emisiilor de carbon pe întreaga durată de viață (WLC) a clădirilor, cuprinzând atât emisiile operaționale, cât și emisiile încorporate în etapele de producție, construcție, renovare și sfârșit de viață. Punerea în aplicare a acestor măsuri necesită transformări structurale ample, ceea ce reprezintă o provocare pentru țările care nu sunt familiarizate instituțional cu acest concept, cum ar fi România. O implementare eficientă a WLC necesită o abordare multidisciplinară și integrată a decarbonizării clădirilor, combinând inovarea tehnologică, strategia economică și legislația adaptată. De asemenea, este nevoie de colaborare și coordonare între o varietate de actori din sectorul clădirilor care joacă roluri-cheie în etapele ciclului de viață al clădirii și în ecosistemul mai larg al construcțiilor durabile. Barierele care pot afecta aplicarea eficientă a abordării WLC în sectorul construcțiilor din România, împreună cu soluțiile propuse pentru fiecare dintre acestea, sunt clasificate în categorii tehnologice, economice, legislative și de reglementare și culturale și de percepție publică, fiecare set de bariere și soluții fiind distribuit în diferite etape ale ciclului de viață al clădirii. Noul studiu EPG nu numai că evidențiază problemele și soluțiile actuale, ci trasează și o hartă pentru acțiunile viitoare, invitând toți actorii relevanți să participe activ la construirea unui viitor durabil. Această direcție nu este doar o necesitate ecologică, ci și o oportunitate economică vastă cu beneficii pe termen lung pentru întreaga societate. Unele dintre cele mai relevante recomandări pentru accelerarea adoptării practicilor durabile în sectorul construcțiilor sunt: stabilirea unui cadru de reglementare solid și a unor standarde pentru materialele de construcție durabile, locale, precum și pentru materialele secundare, reciclate, alături de extinderea infrastructurii de reciclare. stimularea investițiilor și a cererii în domeniul construcțiilor durabile prin intermediul unor instrumente precum reducerile fiscale. prioritizarea renovării în detrimentul construcțiilor noi. consolidarea bazelor de date privind stocurile de clădiri. desfășurarea de campanii de sensibilizare și educare pentru a crește gradul de conștientizare cu privire la principiile WLC și la importanța abordării emisiilor generate de ciclul de viață în clădiri. Citiți întreg studiul (ENG) redactat de Cătălin Lungu (OAER), Radu Dudău (EPG) și Luiza Zăpucioiu (EPG), AICI.

The infographic summarises the main barriers identified in the implementation of whole life carbon in Romanian buildings sector and proposes solutions to overcome them. The barriers identified and solutions proposed are indicated for each stage of the building lifecycle stages, reproduced from EN 15978:2011, with added barriers and recommendations for B8 Module (Operational carbon) and D Module (Beyond the system boundary). Download Infographic as PDF

The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) demands EU member states to introduce measures addressing the whole-life carbon (WLC) impact of buildings, encompassing both operational emissions and embodied emissions across the production, construction, renovation, and end-of-life stages. Implementing these measures requires extensive structural transformations, posing challenges for countries that are institutionally unfamiliar with the concept, such as Romania. An effective implementation of WLC requires a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to building decarbonisation, combining technology innovation, economic strategy, and adapted legislation. Likewise, it requires collaboration and coordination between a variety of actors in the buildings sector that play key roles in the stages of the building lifecycle and the wider ecosystem of sustainable construction. Barriers that may impede the effective application of the WLC approach in Romania’s construction sector, along with proposed solutions to each, are categorised as technological, economic, legislative and regulatory, and cultural and public perception-based, with each set of barriers and solutions distributed across different stages of the building lifecycle. Some of the most salient recommendations to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices in the building sector are: establishing a strong regulatory framework and standards for sustainable, local construction materials as well as secondary, recycled materials, alongside expanding the recycling infrastructure. driving investment and demand in sustainable constructions through instruments such as tax reductions. prioritising renovation over new builds. strengthening building stock databases. conducting awareness and education campaigns to raise awareness of the WLC principles and the significance of addressing life-cycle emissions in buildings Radu Dudău, EPG Co-founder & President Radu Dudău is President and co-founder of EPG. He was, from 2007 to 2023, an Associate Professor at the Bucharest University. From 2006 to 2010 he was Deputy Director at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). He graduated in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Iași. He holds a Dr. Phil. degree in Philosophy (magna cum laude) from Konstanz University (Germany) and a PhD in Political Science (International Relations) (summa cum laude) from the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA, Bucharest). He was a Fulbright Fellow with the National Security Program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (2011), a New Europe College Fellow at the Danish Institute of International Relations (Copenhagen, 2006) and an OSI/FCO-Chevening scholar at Oxford University (1999-2000). His work focuses on energy policy, energy technology, and energy markets. Contact: radu.dudau@enpg.ro

In 2024, the EU proposed a target of reducing GHG emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels. This target not only secures the pathway to climate neutrality by 2050, but also gives a clear signal of what the 2030-2040 decade will look in terms of fossil fuel phase-out, cleantech development and just transition, among others. The proposed 2040 target underscores the EU's commitment to aligning with the Paris Agreement while making significant progress towards its long-term goal of climate neutrality by 2050. To help reach the Union’s climate targets, Member States are required under the EU Governance Regulation to develop long-term strategies for climate change mitigation. Romania’s Long-term Strategy (LTS), adopted in 2023, sets a target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, provides a framework for interim targets, and proposes policies to achieve a cohesive and sustainable approach to climate change mitigation. It defines a clear interim target of 78% emission reduction by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), reaching 91% in 2040. The adopted LTS could enhance Romania's contribution to he EU’s collective emission reduction efforts and achievement of climate neutrality by 2050. These interim goals serve as benchmarks on the pathway towards achieving Romania’s longterm climate objectives, as they enhance predictability, safeguard against potential setbacks, and enable earlier investments in new technologies and infrastructure. Although the LTS aligns with the proposed EU 2040 target, Romania does not have a legally binding target for 2040 and the strategy still exhibits gaps and uncertainties regarding its implementation. These shortcomings add to other challenges Romania faces in meeting its climate objectives, especially given its reliance on fossil fuels, hard-to-abate industries, regulatory uncertainties and limited fiscal capacity. Uncertainties and risks may also arise from various technological, economic, or political factors, as well as public resistance to climate policies and geopolitical shocks. These risks must be mitigated through clear, robust policies and commitments at national and sectoral level.   Moreover, Romania has already submitted to the Commission the final version of its updated NECP (which is more ambitious than the LTS) and has adopted other key sectoral strategies (the National Hydrogen Strategy, the National Adaptation Strategy, the National Energy Strategy and the Romanian Industrial Strategy 2024-2030). According to the Governance Regulation, Member States should update their long-term strategies only if they deem it necessary. To align with the latest national and EU policy developments, enhance coherence, and increase certainty in the achievement of existing emissions targets and trajectories, a revision of the existing LTS may be due. Ioana Vasiliu, EPG Senior Researcher Ioana works as a Senior Researcher within the Clean Economy Programme of EPG. She holds a bachelor degree in management for public administration and a post university diploma as expert for sustainable development both from the Economic Academy of Bucharest. Before joining EPG, Ioana worked for Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests as european affairs advisor within Climate Strategies and Reporting Department. Over the last years, she has been involved in addressing climate change at national level, by developing policies and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects and impacts of climate change. At international level she acted as rapporteur for climate change adaptation policies and NECP, is member of UNFCCC expert roster and coordinated Romania’s accession process to the OECD, in the field of climate change. Contact: ioana.vasiliu@enpg.ro

În anul 2022, România avea o capacitate instalată de producție de biogaz de 23 MW și nicio producție de biometan. Aceste cifre contrastează puternic cu obiectivele stabilite în documentele strategice naționale, care prevăd o creștere rapidă a sectorului biogazului.

Biogas and biomethane will play an important role in achieving a cleaner energy mix and safeguarding the EU from external energy price fluctuations. Current projections estimate fossil gas to make up only between 2.5-6.6% of Romania’s energy demand in buildings by2050 (Energy Policy Group, 2022). Achieving the European Union’s net-zero target by 2050 requires reducing natural gas usage, and decarbonising gas where reductions are not possible. Biogas and biomethane have the technical potential to replace natural gas to a significant extent as a fuel of choice, especially for industry. The use of biogas and biomethane incurs several advantages. Notably: Biogas and biomethane can also build on the circular economy by improving waste management strategies and overall resource efficiency Biogas and biomethane offer the same system-level benefits as natural gas (seasonal storage, flexibility on the power market, heating, and ability to transport efficiently over distances). Anaerobic digestion uses the same methane from decomposing organic matter which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Biomethane has the technical ability to use the current gas grid, in theory avoiding some stranded assets. However, realising this benefit’s full potential requires high economies of scale, which are not yet foreseen. Biogas and biomethane can also build on the circular economy by improving waste management strategies and overall resource efficiency Nonetheless, there are some limitations to what can be achieved through these alternative fuels. Despite their high technical potential, projections of future biogas and biomethane production do not always properly consider sustainability criteria, resulting in exaggerated figures. Therefore, given the value of these resources and limitations in feedstock availability, the Romanian energy sector could benefit from a regulatory framework to incentivise the production of biogas and biomethane and ensure they are targeted where they can have the greatest decarbonisation benefits. This paper gives an overview of Romania’s biogas and biomethane strategic targets and examines the existing Romanian production potentials in the context of the sustainability criteria specified in the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED III, 2023) to illustrate the gap. The paper will then outline lessons learned from EU countries that have successfully increased their production and examine trade-offs which must be considered in any future biogas and biomethane strategy in Romania. Nadia Maki, EPG Senior Researcher Nadia Maki is a Senior Researcher within the Energy Systems Programme of EPG. She is an energy policy researcher focused on renewable energy financing, green technology and innovation and emerging economies. Before joining EPG, Nadia worked as an independent evaluator for renewable energy financing schemes for the UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, evaluating schemes such as the Contracts for Difference scheme and the Capacity Market scheme. Nadia has extensive experience using theory-based evaluation methods. She has also contributed to projects for DG CLIMA, DG Environment, the Research Council of Norway, UN Women, the World Health Organization and ActionAid. Nadia holds an MSc in Climate Change, Development and Policy from the Science Policy Research Unit and the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and a Bachelors of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Canada.  Contact: nadia.maki@enpg.ro

Achizițiile publice pot crea noi oportunități pentru dezvoltarea industriei cu emisii reduse de carbon  Ambițiile europene în materie de climă și mediu asumate prin Pactul Verde European responsabilizează statele europene, inclusiv operatorii industriali să își reducă în mod accelerat emisiile. Acest lucru presupune, printre altele, utilizarea de noi tehnologii inovatoare, înlocuirea combustibililor fosili cu surse curate de energie și eficientizarea consumului de resurse și  energie. Transformarea fundamentală a industriei va fi, prin urmare, un proces de durată, care va necesita investiții majore din partea operatorilor industriali, dar și suport din partea statului pentru acoperirea costurilor semnificative de investiții, pentru extinderea și dezvoltarea infrastructurii necesare. Există mai multe mijloace prin care decarbonizarea industriei ar putea fi susținută de către stat, fie că vorbim de facilități fiscale, granturi și subvenții sau mecanisme legislative de stimulare a cererii pentru produse cu emisii reduse de carbon, cum sunt sistemele de Achiziții Publice Ecologice (APE). Sistemele APE reprezintă procesul prin care autoritățile publice urmăresc să achiziționeze lucrări, bunuri sau servicii, care au un impact redus asupra mediului de-a lungul întregului ciclu de viață, în detrimentul produselor cu emisii ridicate de carbon. Potrivit economiștilor, este o alternativă mai eficientă pentru susținerea industriei în procesul de tranziție verde, cu impact mai limitat asupra bugetului național. Acest aspect este esențial pentru România, o țară cu spațiu fiscal redus comparativ cu state precum Germania și Franța, unde se acordă ajutoare de stat semnificative pentru decarbonizarea industriei. Prin implementarea unui sistem APE funcțional, industria din România ar beneficia de predictibilitate și susținere în procesul de decarbonizare, menținându-și astfel competitivitatea pe plan european și global. În contextul presiunii legislative europene de reducere graduală a emisiilor de carbon, implementarea unui asemenea mecanism va contribui atât la creșterea avantajului competitiv al României, pe termen mediu și lung, cât și la atingerea țintelor de reducere a emisiilor la nivel național. Care este legătura între competitivitatea industriei și APE? Ultimii cinci ani au fost marcați de dezvoltarea și actualizarea unor politici europene esențiale în transformarea industriei. Pe lângă multiplele directive europene din cadrul pachetului Fit-for-55, declarațiile Comisiei Europene, din ultimele luni, au adus în prim plan importanța decarbonizării industriei în menținerea competitivității pe piețele globale. Potrivit unui studiu EPG, în absența unor măsuri concertate de decarbonizare, până în 2030, costul total de emisii pentru industriile oțelului, cimentului și chimicalelor din România va crește de patru ori, comparativ cu 2024. Această creștere generează un risc real de mărire a costurilor de producție, reducerea sau chiar relocarea facilităților de producție. Impactul asupra României ar putea fi, prin urmare, unul semnificativ. Sectorul industrial contribuie cu 22,8% din Valoarea Adăugată Brută și asigură aproximativ 20% din actualele locuri de muncă. Mai mult, anumite industrii energo-intensive sunt importante din punct de vedere strategic pentru România, precum producția de oțel primar, care în alte țări din regiune dispare gradual, riscând astfel o dependență crescută de importuri. Pe de altă parte, emisiile generate de industrie însumează 14% din emisiile naționale, iar reducerea lor va implica în multe cazuri transformarea fundamentală a proceselor industriale, cu costuri investiționale semnificative. Sistemele de APE reprezintă un instrument de sprijin indirect în procesul de decarbonizare. Ca urmare a implementării planurilor complexe de transformare industrială, acestea pot aduce un plus de predictibilitate și certitudine în ceea ce privește cererea pentru produsele industriale verzi. Implementarea unui sistem de APE în România ar genera cerere previzibilă pentru produsele ecologice din partea unui cumpărător major (statul)dispus să achiziționeze cantități semnificative de materiale cu o amprentă redusă de carbon. Statul este cel mai mare achizitor: în 2023, ponderea achizițiilor publice la PIB-ul țării a ajuns la 19% în anul 2023 (aprox. 61 miliarde de euro), de la 8% în 2018. Mai mult, aproape un sfert din valoarea totală a achizițiilor publice este reprezentată de lucrările de construcții, care utilizează cantități semnificative de beton, oțel, și alte produse ale industriei energo-intensive, unde procesul de decarbonizare va fi cel mai complex. Achizițiile publice pentru aceste categorii de lucrări vor continua să crească (spre exemplu, România s-a angajat să aloce circa 2% din PIB anual pentru proiectele de infrastructură și transport, până în 2030). În plus, o proporție semnificativă a investițiilor în infrastructură este realizată prin fonduri europene, inclusiv prin Planul Național pentru Redresare și Reziliență, care condiționează realizarea proiectelor de îndeplinirea criteriilor verzi. Prin urmare, achizițiile publice ecologice pot influența în mod semnificativ evoluția și înverzirea economiei, iar investițiile în infrastructură și construcții ar putea deveni un instrument relevant de influențare a pieței pentru decarbonizarea industriei energo-intensive din România. Rolul Planului Național de Acțiune pentru Achiziții Publice Ecologice 2024 – 2027 Până în prezent, utilizarea achizițiilor publice ca instrument strategic de decarbonizare a fost sporadic aplicat în UE, unde prețul cel mai mic reprezintă cel mai important criteriu de evaluare pentru peste jumătate din achizițiile publice din statele membre. La nivelul UE, există un cadru voluntar de APE, prin intermediul căruia au fost definite criterii ecologice pentru 14 categorii de produse, servicii și lucrări. Aceste criterii au fost adoptate integral sau parțial de anumite state membre (precum Olanda, Suedia și Italia), fiind stabilite ținte progresive anuale în cadrul planurilor naționale de APE.  Criteriile se bazează pe instrumente precum evaluarea impactului pe întregul ciclu de viață (LCA) sau standarde și etichete ecologice, printre altele. Suplimentar față de criteriile voluntare, există câteva directive europene, cum ar fi Directiva privind Performanța Energetică a Clădirilor, ce includ criterii obligatorii care trebuie să se regăsească în achizițiile publice la nivel național. Deși au caracter voluntar, obiectivul planurilor naționale de APE este de a transmite semnale clare pieței că există cerere pentru produse și servicii cu emisii reduse, precum și de a pregăti autoritățile publice și operatorii economici pentru achiziții complexe, cum sunt cele ce prevăd criterii ecologice. România a adoptat Legea privind Achizițiile Publice Verzi în 2016, iar în 2023 a publicat Strategia Națională în domeniul Achizițiilor Publice (2023-2027). Recent, în septembrie 2024, Ministerul Mediului, Apelor și Pădurilor a lansat spre consultare publică noul Plan de Acțiune al României pentru Achiziții Publice Ecologice 2024-2027, care va înlocui planul expirat încă din 2013. Noul plan include o listă...

Transformarea industriei: o necesitate presantă În contextul geopolitic și economic actual, politicile industriale din Uniunea Europeană sunt esențiale pentru a asigura securitatea, prosperitatea și atenuarea schimbărilor climatice. Un nou val de politici și scheme de suport, axate pe transformarea sustenabilă a industriilor statelor membre, reflectă o reorientare a gândirii strategice atât la nivel european cât și național. Astfel, mult-așteptatul raport al lui Mario Draghi a propus o abordare duală a problematicii tranziției industriale axată pe obiectivele de decarbonizare și competitivitate, două dimensiuni strâns întrepătrunse, care trebuie abordate concomitent. În acest sens, este nevoie de un mix de politici și stimulente economice care să permită operatorilor industriali, mai ales din industriile energo-intensive, să se transforme și să poată concura pe piețele europene și globale, cu o expunere cât mai redusă la vulnerabilități pe lanțul de producție. Aceste semnale au fost preluate de către decidenții din România, rezultând în noi angajamente de susținere și finanțare a marii industrii.Deși binevenite, mecanismele propuse abordează doar parțial provocările de competitivitate ale industriei românești și cel mai probabil, în forma actuală nu vor reuși să prevină decalajul României față de alte state europene. Cum susține România transformarea industriei sale? Istoricul schemelor de suport pentru industria grea din România reflecta, până recent, o abordare monolitică și prea puțin mulată pe complexitățile tehnologice, comerciale, și sociale ale tranziției industriale. Din 2010 și până în prezent, schemele de ajutor de stat destinate industriei au vizat în principal reducerea costurilor indirecte de emisii și a costurilor de energie, fără a stimula în mod eficient transformarea industrială. Pentru a susține continuarea activității industriale pe termen mediu și lung, ajutoarele de stat ar trebui condiționate de cerințe de reducere a emisiilor dar și țintite către noi tehnologii și procese de producție industrială. Asemenea scheme de suport trebuie lansate urgent, având în vedere calendarul de eliminare a alocărilor gratuite de certificate de emisii pentru industria energo-intensivă, conform reviziei Directivei EU ETS. Din 2034, aceste sectoare industriale vor plăti integral pentru emisiile generate.   În septembrie 2024, Guvernul a lansat prima schemă amplă de ajutor de stat destinată tranziției industriei românești, ca parte a “Planului Național pentru Marea Industrie”. Schema de ajutor, în valoare de 1 miliard de euro, este destinată investițiilor în măsuri de reducere a emisiilor de gaze cu efect de seră, și va acorda un sprijin de până la 100 de milioane de euro per beneficiar. Anunțul schemei vine la puțin timp după lansarea în consultare publică a Programului-Cheie 7 din Fondul de Modernizare, de asemenea destinat susținerii operatorilor industriali prin finanțarea investițiilor de modernizare și eficientizare energetică a instalațiilor. Bugetul total al programului este de 150 de milioane de euro, cu sprijin maxim de 30 de milioane de euro per beneficiar. Deși schemele reprezintă un semnal binevenit din partea decidenților români, acestea nu vor reuși să stimuleze transformarea profundă a industriei grele, dacă nu sunt bine calibrate la magnitudinea acestei transformări. Măsurile de sprijin ar trebui țintite către proiecte de impact în sectoarele cele mai vulnerabile în procesul de tranziție și care prezintă un avantaj competitiv. Schemele de ajutor de stat ar trebui să fie dimensionate proporțional cu efortul financiar necesar pentru transformare și suficient de flexibile pentru a absorbi volatilitatea costurilor pe termen lung asociate transformării, inclusiv prețul carbonului din piața EU ETS. În caz contrar, Planul Național pentru Marea Industrie riscă să cheltuiască în mod ineficient resursele publice, scăzând totodată șansele industriei românești de a ține pasul cu competitori din alte țări europene. Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. She is passionate about volunteer work, being one of the founding members of European Youth Energy Network and a professional speaker for conferences dedicated to the role of youth in energy transition. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

Key Findings: Clean hydrogen will play a crucial role in decarbonising Romania’s industry and mobility sectors, with a significant production potential due to significant renewable energy resources. To launch a clean hydrogen economy in Romania, coherent national policies prioritising hydrogen in industry and mobility, as well as clear plans for increasing renewable electricity capacity and building out hydrogen transport infrastructure are needed Estimated domestic renewable hydrogen demand in Romania’s strategic documents ranges between 160,000 and 214,000 tonnes/year. The results of the ADP model show that this demand would increase to 667,000 tonnes/year by 2050 if Romania is to achieve the emissions targets set out in its LongTerm Strategy for climate neutrality (LTS). The ADP model shows that to enable cost-effective decarbonisation, clean hydrogen is best deployed for use in industry (particularly steelmaking) and mobility, rather than heating and cooling or power production. According to the model, clean hydrogen could also be a key precursor in the production of synthetic fuels. Romania could become a hydrogen exporter, with up to 4 GW of cross-border pipeline capacity enabling exports to other European countries. Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. She is passionate about volunteer work, being one of the founding members of European Youth Energy Network and a professional speaker for conferences dedicated to the role of youth in energy transition. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

Key Findings: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be an essential component of Romania’s decarbonisation efforts, particularly for the cement and chemicals sectors. To enable CCS projects that contribute to Romania’s climate mitigation efforts in a cost-effective way, ambitions must be increased in national strategies, hard-to-abate sectors must be prioritised for CO2 capture, and the potential for negative emissions through carbon removal projects should be explored Under Romania’s obligations under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), most captured CO2 will be stored, with less of the gas destined for utilisation. According to the ADP model, even under a more relaxed deadline for its NZIA obligations, Romania would need to develop 10 Mt of annual injection-ready CO2 storage capacity by 2035, and 15 Mt by 2050, to meet the emissions targets outlined in Long-Term Strategy for climate neutrality. Given its geological storage potential, Romania is well-positioned to become a CCS hub for Central and Eastern Europe and create new economic opportunities To enable CCS projects that contribute to Romania’s climate mitigation efforts in a cost-effective way, ambitions must be increased in national strategies, hard-to-abate sectors must be prioritised for CO2 capture, and the potential for negative emissions through carbon removal projects should be explored Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. She is passionate about volunteer work, being one of the founding members of European Youth Energy Network and a professional speaker for conferences dedicated to the role of youth in energy transition. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

With the adoption of its Long-Term Strategy and the drafting of a revised National Energy and Climate Plan, Romania has made significant strides in planning the decarbonisation of its economy. Current strategic documents can be enhanced through more comprehensive and detailed plans for implementing cost-optimal decarbonisation pathways, backed by clear policy and financing instruments. To this end, Carbon-Free Europe, Evolved Energy Research and Energy Policy Group have prepared a detailed model outlining eight scenarios for decarbonising Romania’s economy. The results of the model point to the following high-level conclusions: The reduction of final energy consumption is a primary decarbonisation lever, especially in the buildings and transport sectors. Romania must increase its ambitions for the development of clean energy capacities, with a focus on solar energy coupled with storage in the medium term, and on onshore and offshore wind energy in the long-term. Nuclear energy can also play a key role especially if the technology sees significant cost reductions in the long run. Electrification must be accelerated through the deployment of heat pumps for residential heating and electric mobility. The electrification of industry and foreseen expansion in industrial activity will further increase electricity demand. While a short-term expansion in natural gas consumption is projected, especially driven by the power sector, demand across sectors is expected to gradually contract post-2030, with remaining consumption in 2050 coming mainly from residual use in industry. Developing Romania’s electricity infrastructure is essential, including transmission and distribution grids, interconnectors, and storage capacities. Hydrogen use must be prioritised for hard-to-abate industries and some segments of the transport sector. The cost effectiveness of hydrogen consumption in the power sector and for heat production is expected to be low. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure must be deployed immediately to facilitate industrial decarbonisation. No CCS applications are foreseen in the energy sector. Interconnection capacity must be strengthened and developed for electricity, hydrogen and CO2, with Romania being expected to be a key regional player. Romania is well placed for capturing CO2 from biofuels production, generating negative emissions and supporting the development of geological storage capacities. 10.Approximately €6 bn/year of investments are estimated until 2050 for electricity, hydrogen, and biofuels production, electricity and hydrogen storage, and carboncapture. With most EU funding sources being available only until 2032, Romania needs to plan how it can mobilise other public and private sources to maintain the pace of investments Mihnea Cătuți, EPG Head of Research Mihnea is the Head of Research at EPG, coordinating the research strategy and activities within the organisation. His expertise includes EU climate and energy policy and the transition in South-East Europe.He is also an Associate in E3G’s Clean Economy Programme, contributing to the work on industrial decarbonisation. In the past, Mihnea was an associate researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), where he led the work on the future of hydrogen in the EU. He was also an associate lecturer in Public Policy at the University of York. Mihnea has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Bristol and a Masters in European Public Policy from the University of York and the Central European University. He was awarded a PhD from the University of York with a thesis focusing energy and climate governance in the EU. Contact: mihnea.catuti@enpg.ro

The Central and Eastern European (CEE) region faces significant challenges in meeting the building energy efficiency goals set by the European Union. Despite considerable efforts to renovate the region's building stock, deep energy savings remain limited, and renovation projects often underperform relative to expectations. With the built environment contributing nearly 40% of the EU’s emissions, and the continued fossil fuel dependence of CEE countries, improving building energy efficiency through renovation is an essential action for reaching the EU’s climate goals. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) establishes a framework for improving building energy performance, including standardised calculation methodologies, minimum renovation requirements, and Energy Performance Certificates. In alignment with the European Green Deal, the “Renovation Wave for Europe” aims to double the energy renovation rate by 2030, serving as a crucial step toward achieving the EU’s decarbonisation targets by 2050. The most recent revision of the EPBD, adopted in 2024, increases the ambition of building-related energy efficiency improvements, with particularly ambitious standards and goals for public buildings. Considering the EU's energy efficiency targets, CEE countries face unique challenges, including an ageing building stock, dependence on fossil fuels, and inadequate insulation standards. Decarbonisation efforts are inconsistent across the region, often dependent on government initiatives and varying levels of climate action, and renovation rates reflect a sluggish pace of climate action. In particular, a lack of monitoring of the actual impact of implemented renovations leads to potential delays in achieving renovation goals and an inefficient use of public funding, often used to finance building renovations. To overcome these issues, meet energy efficiency targets and transform its building stock, the CEE region must learn from past experiences and best practices while strengthening policy and implementation frameworks for building renovation. This report shows that many renovation efforts underperform due to common barriers such as poor monitoring and data availability, limited financing, inadequate regulation, and a lack of technical expertise. The OUR-CEE project aims to shed light on the gap between planned and actual energy performance in renovated public buildings and recommends key strategies to mitigate underperformance. The main goal of this report, part of the OUR-CEE project, is to identify the primary barriers and underlying factors contributing to the low performance of building renovations across the CEE region. It provides an in-depth analysis of the status of the building stock in four CEE countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania), highlights common challenges, and offers recommendations to advance policy reforms, enhance financial instruments, and foster innovative solutions to accelerate sustainable and energy-efficient renovations. By implementing these strategies, the CEE region could make significant strides toward overcoming underperforming renovations, thus progressing against its climate goals, while maximising ancillary benefits such as socio-economic development and public health. OUR-CEE (Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe) is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The opinions put forward in this study are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. She is passionate about volunteer work, being one of the founding members of European Youth Energy Network and a professional speaker for conferences dedicated to the role of youth in energy transition. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

EPG a publicat două analize detaliate despre schimbările necesare pentru ca industriile grele din România să funcționeze într-o economie decarbonizată. Aceste studii subliniază măsurile esențiale pentru tranziția industrială și reducerea emisiilor de carbon. Necesitatea Adoptării Achizițiilor Publice Ecologice A doua analiză explică nevoia urgentă ca autoritățile să promoveze utilizarea materialelor verzi prin intermediul unui sistem de achiziții publice ecologice. Din păcate, la acest capitol, România se află printre ultimele țări din Uniunea Europeană. Contribuția Industriei Grele la Economia României Industria românească reprezintă aproximativ o cincime din valoarea adăugată brută și din ocuparea forței de muncă. Aceasta contribuie semnificativ la economia națională. Totuși, fără măsuri concrete de decarbonizare, industriile grele, precum oțelul, cimentul și produsele chimice, vor avea dificultăți majore de competitivitate în Europa. În plus, vor suporta costuri din ce în ce mai mari asociate emisiilor de carbon. Importanța unui Sistem de Achiziții Publice Ecologice Un sistem de achiziții publice ecologice, bine implementat, poate sprijini procesul de decarbonizare al industriei grele. Acest lucru este esențial în special pentru sectoarele oțelului și cimentului. România trebuie să adopte cât mai curând un Plan național de acțiune pentru achizițiile publice ecologice. În prezent, țara noastră este unul dintre puținele state membre ale UE care nu are un plan obligatoriu pentru aceste achiziții. Măsuri Propuse pentru Îmbunătățirea Achizițiilor Publice Ecologice România trebuie să stabilească o listă extinsă de produse, servicii și proiecte pentru care să aplice criterii de mediu în procesele de achiziție. De asemenea, autoritățile competente ar trebui să-și consolideze capacitățile necesare pentru a implementa acest sistem prin înființarea unui organism central dedicat achizițiilor ecologice. Necesitatea Formării Continue Pentru a spori capacitatea autorităților contractante de a derula proceduri complexe de achiziții publice ecologice, România trebuie să ofere formare continuă în acest domeniu. Această formare trebuie să fie disponibilă atât pentru autoritățile contractante, cât și pentru operatorii economici. În acest fel, interesul producătorilor și al ofertanților pentru produse durabile va crește semnificativ. Citește primul studiu din această serie AICI.

Romania’s industrial production is essential for the national economy, but faces multiple challenges. At one-fifth of Gross Value Added and workforce employment, Romania’s industry is a significant economic contributor. Heavy industry (steel, cement, chemicals and others) will face rising emissions costs and major competitiveness issues in the EU’s transition. At the same time, decarbonising heavy industry comes with significant capital and operational costs, as well as competition for high-value resources such as hydrogen. The costs and benefits of overcoming the transition challenge are significant. This study presents a high-level cost assessment of decarbonisation pathways for Romania’s primary steel, cement, and chemical sectors. In the cement sector: Deep decarbonisation will be unachievable without carbon capture and storage, which will require state support until green clinker becomes competitive However, without decarbonisation clinker will cost 10 times more in 2050 than today due to emissions costs, significantly outweighing any green clinker cost premium o At an estimated €900 million per average facility total payout under a simulated Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) scheme running 2030-2044, cement will need other support instruments, such as Green Public Procurement, to bear the cost of its decarbonisation In primary steel production: The capital investments and increased OPEX costs of green steel could drive an increase in liquid steel costs of 25% by 2030, with green steel only becoming competitive with conventional steel towards 2050. But transitioning to green steel would save nearly €1.7 billion/year in emissions costs by 2050, and could yield revenues from surplus emissions allowances o The cost and availability of green hydrogen will be a major driver for successful decarbonisation of primary steel o The state support required until green steel becomes competitive could take the form of OPEX support under a CCfD scheme. In the chemicals sector: Electrifying industrial heat in the basic chemicals sector could bring significant energy cost savings and abate at least 17-25% of emissions The production of fertilisers will need to transition to green ammonia and apply additional decarbonisation measures to remain competitive, with public support likely required to cover a green ammonia premium and maintain competitiveness in the face of potentially cheap imports Affordable renewable hydrogen will be essential for Romania to minimise import dependence of fertilisers and even potentially become a green methanol producer. Without support for decarbonisation investments, there is a real risk of delocalising domestic production and increasing import dependence If no immediate action is taken, there is a risk of breaking up domestic supply chains and delocalising emissions-intensive production abroad (liquid steel, clinker, and ammonia production) However, importing green industrial products offers relatively limited cost advantages, at the expense of jobs, economic growth, and strategic autonomy for Romania An equitable combination of state support and private investment will be required to offset the cost advantages of relocating production and importing green products, and a mix of funding, fiscal, and market creation mechanisms will be required To maintain competitiveness, safeguard jobs, and become a green industrial production hub, Romania must take key actions: Trial a Green Public Procurement system for key infrastructure projects (including the use of steel and concrete), and evaluate the potential to expand to products such as vehicles and ships Chart a new course for its industrial policy, aligning with the Green Deal and forthcoming EU framework on industrial decarbonisation Evaluate detailed transition costs and set a clear target for public investment in industrial decarbonisation by 2030, both anchored in concrete and mature decarbonisation plans which must be communicated by industrial operators Design and implement a Carbon Contracts for Difference scheme for the cement and steel sectors Publish a detailed infrastructure deployment plan, including CO2 transport and storage and hydrogen infrastructure

În ciuda progreselor recente, rămân o serie de provocări în ceea ce privește creșterea capcității de energie solară în România. Cele mai importante dintre acestea sunt constrângerile legate de capacitatea rețelei și dezechilibrele cu care se confruntă prosumatorii, lipsa predictibilității calendarului de implementare a fondurilor UE și întârzierile în transpunerea legislației UE. Abordarea acestor provocări este esențială pentru accelerarea adoptării energiei solare. Pentru a valorifica pe deplin potențialul energiei solare și a asigura un sector energetic robust și sustenabil, recomandăm:

Solar energy is crucial for Romania to meet its decarbonisation goals and to contribute to the European Union’s 2050 climate neutrality trajectory. The REPowerEU initiative sets ambitious targets, aiming for over 320 GW of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity by 2025 and nearly 600 GW by 2030. Romania, with 1.8 GW of installed PV capacity in 2022, has experienced limited growth compared to countries like Hungary (4.2 GW) and Poland (12.2 GW). The solar power development in Romania has been constrained by several factors, such as legislative unpredictability, delays in the approving connection to the grid, and other bureaucratic hurdles. These challenges have affected the pace of deployment, with most of the capacity added between 2010 and 2016, driven by the green certificate support scheme. The recent Energy Strategy outlines Romania's commitment to expanding solar capacity, targeting 8.2 GW by 2030, 21.1 GW by 2040, and 33.3 GW by 2050. Recent initiatives include a €3 billion Contracts for Difference (CfDs) scheme launched in 2024, designed to support solar and onshore wind projects. This scheme aims to install 5 GW of new capacities through two auctions: 1.5 GW in 2024 and 3.5 GW in 2025. Additionally, public and private financial sources, including the MF, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the Just Transition Fund (JTF), and various schemes financed by the Environmental Fund Agency (AFM) allocate approximately €2 billion to solar energy. This is distributed as follows: €430 million for utility-scale PV, €1.4 billion for rooftop PV, and €104 million for manufacturing. By the end of 2023, Romania's installed capacities of rooftop PV reached approximately 1.4 GW, with expectations to surpass 2 GW by the end of 2024. For Bucharest, with power demand for households exceeding 1.5 TWh in 2023, solar panels with a total capacity of 1.23 GW would be needed to meet demand. However, because of the intermittent nature of solar energy production, integrating effective storage solutions is increasingly important. We estimate a needed storage capacity of 2,911 MWh, which is equivalent to the battery capacity of 50,600 Tesla Model Y EVs. Besides, alternative storage technologies, such as seasonal storage of green hydrogen, should be considered in the medium to long term to optimise electricity consumption throughout the year. Despite recent advances, challenges persist in deploying solar energy. The most pressing issues include grid capacity constraints and imbalances experienced by prosumers, along with a lack of predictability in the EU funds implementation calendar and delays in the transposition of EU legislation. Addressing these challenges is decisive for accelerating solar energy adoption. To fully leverage the potential of solar energy and ensure a robust and sustainable energy future, we recommend the following: (1) align RES targets with the EU climate objectives, (2) prioritise energy storage, (3) ensure legislative predictability, (4) develop and adhere to a clear and transparent schedule for upcoming solar energy financing calls, and (5) attract investment in the PV value chain. Mihai Constantin, EPG Researcher Mihai Constantin works as a Researcher at EPG. In this position, he is contributing to the activities of the Energy Systems Programme. Mihai has a Master Degree in European Economics at Bucharest University of Economic Studies. He has expertise on public policies in the fields of energy, climate change and economics. Before joining EPG, he worked for WWF Romania as Climate & Energy Manager and as Advisor on Public Policies in the Romanian Parliament. Contact: mihai.constantin@enpg.ro

Lansare de proiect: RENewLand, o soluție echitabilă pentru desemnarea zonelor de accelerare pentru energie regenerabilă Energy Policy Group (EPG) și WWF-România (Fondul Mondial pentru Natură) anunță lansarea oficială a proiectului RENewLand, prin care ne propunem să aducem în atenția autorităților un model de abordare intersectorială și multidisciplinară pentru desemnarea zonelor pretabile accelerării energiei eoliene și solare terestre în România, Bulgaria și Ungaria.

Tranziția către neutralitate climatică a Uniunii Europene s-ar putea confrunta cu provocări în ceea ce privește acceptarea socială a politicilor de decarbonizare, din cauza lipsei consultării publicului în mod eficient și atenției insuficiente asupra impactului socioeconomic al tranziției. Pe măsură ce politicile climatice evoluează și încep să devină mai cuprinzătoare, potențiale efecte regresive ar putea afecta în mod direct consumatorii și gospodăriile, în special cele mai vulnerabile.

The transition towards climate neutrality that the European Union is undergoing may face challenges concerning the social acceptance of decarbonisation policies, due to a lack of effective public engagement and insufficient consideration given to the socio-economic impact of the transition. As climate policies evolve and start becoming more encompassing, potential regressive effects could directly impact consumers and households, especially those most vulnerable. Tackling energy poverty and pursuing a just transition are among the most relevant methods for addressing the socio-economic impact. However, this report highlights the limitation of the current approach to dealing with energy poverty and just transition. Romania’s efforts to mitigate energy poverty and ensure a just transition lack key governance features and leave substantial implementation gaps. Financing mechanisms, institutional responsibilities or targets and clear timelines for implementing policies and measures are sparse or not mentioned at all in Romania’s main strategic climate planning documents, the National Energy and Climate Plan and Long-Term Strategy, or the draft Romanian Energy Strategy 2022-2030, with a 2050 perspective.   This is particularly evident for the current approach to dealing with energy poverty and just transition. Energy poverty has long been treated as an isolated phenomenon, being insufficiently integrated in broader strategic documents. While there is some variation among strategies, none manages to address the issue in a compelling manner and the planned interventions are largely inadequate. The contribution of national strategies to ensuring a fair transition is similarly uncompelling.  The national framework for just transition lacks a definition for it and the concept is oftentimes coupled with measures to tackle energy poverty or addressing the coal phaseout, leaving other carbon intensive areas unaddressed. While the significant focus given to education and green jobs is important, Romanian strategies fall short on other just transition topics such as economic diversification, gender-based effects and policies, redevelopment of the affected areas. The engagement and implication of the public in the design of Romanian climate policy have also proven insufficient, as it seems likely that not even the requirements for public participation of the Governance Regulation have been properly implemented. The analysis and survey that EPG conducted for this report highlight the lack of transparency and the informational gaps in the process of drafting climate policy, as authorities showed deficiencies in communicating with the public. To anticipate and cushion an upcoming greenlash against climate policies that can emerge as a result of the current policymaking shortcomings, the current planning process should consider the following recommendations. Energy poverty: Integrate energy poverty as a cross-cutting topic across legislation in order to have a comprehensive and coherent framework. Define targets for energy poverty, clear up institutional responsibilities and set up a data collection and monitoring system. Develop and implement an integrated energy poverty action plan which should include clear and targeted social assistance measures, going beyond financial handouts and focuses on addressing the systemic causes of poverty. Establish an energy poverty action group at the government level to integrate and coordinate the governance efforts. Set-up one-stop-shops at the local level.  Just transition: Offer a just transition definition and set objectives in national climate strategies. Provide a plan or framework for economic and educational transformation, by offering targeted financial support and tailoring the plan to the local particularities. Address other social consequences of the transition, such as the impact on women, loss of cultural identity and address the risk of school dropout for children in just transition regions.  Public participation: Allocate additional resources (both human and financial) to the implementation of the public participation process. Set clear and detailed procedures for public participation. Ensure early engagement, at the incipient stages of drafting documents and define in legislation what is considered as reasonable timeframes for consultations. Enhance transparency and access to information by making information publicly available through different channels in the early stages of the consultation process. Enable different formats and create avenues for public participation to foster more input from stakeholders/citizens. Enshrine in legislation a permanent stakeholder engagement platform on climate policy with representatives of industries, unions, NGOs, academia, research institutes, and local authorities. Ensure that the input of the public and stakeholders is effectively incorporated in the final documents and facilitate feedback loops. Ana-Maria Niculicea, EPG Researcher Ana-Maria Niculicea is a Researcher at Energy Policy Group focusing on aspects relating to climate governance and the social acceptance of the transition. She holds a MSc in Politics, Economics and Philosophy from University of Hamburg and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration.  Contact: ana.niculicea@enpg.ro

Renovarea fondului de clădiri este unul dintre obiectivele prioritare pentru reducerea consumului de energie și de CO2 la nivelul Uniunii Europene (UE). În ciuda eforturilor politice, a gamei largi de măsuri de reglementare, a instrumentelor financiare și a inițiativelor care au dus la îmbunătățiri tehnice notabile ale fondului de clădiri, consumul de energie, atât în sectorul public, cât și în cel rezidențial, nu a înregistrat încă reducerea drastică necesară pentru atingerea obiectivelor stabilite. Clădirile publice, despre care se așteaptă să dea tonul în ceea ce privește renovarea aprofundată, au beneficiat de lucrări de renovare de mulți ani în Europa Centrală și de Est (ECE), însă o proporție semnificativă din acestea nu generează economii de energie adecvate.

The renovation of the building stock is one of the key target sectors for energy and CO2 reduction at the EU level. Despite policy efforts, the wide range of regulatory measures, financial instruments, and initiatives that have resulted in notable technical improvements to the building stock, the energy consumption, in both public and residential sectors, has not yet experienced the dramatic reduction necessary to achieve set targets. One of the cornerstone policies aimed at reducing the energy consumption of the building stock, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), introduced the requirement for Member States to establish certification (energy performance certificates) and energy labeling schemes for existing buildings to indicate their energy performance, as well as a common framework for the calculation of buildings' energy performance. In Romania, the Long Term Renovation Strategy is the main document aiming to transform the national building stock to meet energy efficiency standards by outlining specific actions and targets for both public and residential buildings. It introduces the cost-optimal renovation packages to ensure economical viability of energy efficiency renovation measures, for all types of public buildings, educational, healthcare, administrative, commercial buildings, all of which would be able to achieve deep renovation standards. The performance of the building stock in Romania has been steadily, albeit slowly, improving, and some progress has been made in achieving renovation targets. However, there are significant challenges for the Romanian renovation sector to achieve the energy savings potential. Although the Romanian policy landscape and legal frameworks have established specific standards and measures for energy performance in the renovation sector, achieving these standards has encountered various barriers, related to national energy performance calculation methodologies, knowledge gaps about the national building stock, monitoring and evaluation practices, and certification processes, poor management and use of buildings post renovation. To overcome these barriers and accelerate the rate and quality of the energy efficiency renovations, it is essential to improve the national building stock knowledge base, establish robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to ensure that energy performance targets are met and that the actual energy savings align with predicted outcomes, enhance the administrative capacity at both national and local levels. Finally, increasing awareness and knowledge about energy efficiency among building occupants will help mitigate issues related to occupant behavior that impact energy consumption. OUR-CEE (Overcoming Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe) is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The opinions put forward in this study are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

Pe fondul unor temperaturi caniculare extreme, sistemul energetic național a întâmpinat dificultăți în satisfacerea cererii de consum la orele de vârf în ultimele săptămâni. Contrar unor opinii vehiculate în spațiul public, această situație critică nu a fost cauzată de adoptarea unui calendar de eliminare a capacităților pe bază de cărbune. De fapt, centralele pe bază de combustibili fosili au produs semnificativ sub capacitățile instalate teoretic disponibile în sistem, necesarul fiind acoperit prin creșterea importurilor. Pentru evitarea unor situații similare în viitor, este necesară accelerarea investițiilor în rețelele de distribuție și transport, creșterea capacităților de producție de energie cât mai curată, și a sistemelor de stocare, precum și dezvoltarea suplimentară a capacităților de interconectare cu alte state. Alexandru Ciocan, EPG Researcher, Energy Systems Team Alexandru Ciocan este cercetător la Energy Policy Group și a lucrat intens timp de aproape 10 ani în domeniul tehnologiilor bazate pe hidrogen, surse de energie regenerabilă și baterii litiu-ion. Deține un doctorat în științe inginerești de la IMT Atlantique, precum și de la Universitatea Politehnica din București. Contact: alexandru.ciocan@enpg.ro

Energy Policy Group (EPG) anunță lansarea unui nou raport ce analizează versiunea preliminară a Planului Național Integrat în domeniul Energiei și Schimbărilor Climatice (PNIESC) al României. Acest raport oferă o evaluare detaliată a măsurilor propuse pentru atingerea obiectivelor de reducere a emisiilor și a neutralității climatice, în conformitate cu politicile Uniunii Europene.

Romania's climate policy is strongly influenced by the European Union's objectives to reduce emissions and achieve climate neutrality. By adopting the National Long-Term Strategy (LTS), Romania has committed to achieve a net emission reduction of 99% in 2050 compared to 1990 levels. This study assesses the most recent draft version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) by addressing three key questions: 1) How adequate are the proposed measures to achieve the emission reduction targets? 2) How robust is the evidence base for the proposed measures? 3) To what extent have stakeholders been involved in the development of the plan The assessment is based on four groups of key performance indicators (KPIs):  data, modelling and science; stakeholder engagement; the five dimensions of the NECP; and equitable transition and socio-economic impact. Following the assessment, it can be concluded that the draft version is limited by a lack of holistic perspective, transparency and references to scientific literature. It does not incorporate enhanced climate objectives under the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) and the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry Regulation (LULUCF). The differentiation of emissions under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and ESR is missing, as well as detailed implementation plans. Sector specific measures, the use of renewable energy in industry and buildings and decarbonisation measures for the transport sector are also not sufficiently detailed. The draft does not fully comply with the requirements of the revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) or specify the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) target on renewable fuels. It shows a lack of ambition in terms of long-term renovation strategies and overall emission reductions, with no explicit plans to reduce gas consumption or improve energy storage. In addition, the document does not contain concrete measures to support research and innovation in renewable energy technology and adaptation to climate change. There is no mention of addressing impacts on social groups, health, education or regional development. To increase the effectiveness and impact of the NECP, the following recommendations should be considered: (1) Increase the level of ambition of key targets such as solar and wind capacity development, grid-scale storage solutions, smart grid and CCS technologies; (2) Mandate the use of heat pumps in renovated buildings and extend renovation rates by 2% annually; (3) Upgrade airport infrastructure, create green shipping corridors, implement low emission zones, align industrial strategy with climate targets; (4) Creating the incentive framework for afforestation and reforestation, sustainable aviation fuels, allocating funds for research and development, promoting public-private partnership and developing a medium term investment strategy; (5) Clarifying institutional responsibilities and ensuring effective and transparent governance, involving stakeholders and empowering consumers; (6) Analyse the socio-economic impacts and extend just transition measures to all affected sectors by creating green jobs programs, supporting affected workers and addressing energy poverty; (7) Conduct a climate vulnerability analysis with performance indicators to monitor implementation progress. Ioana Vasiliu, EPG Senior Researcher Ioana works as a Senior Researcher within the Clean Economy Programme of EPG. She holds a bachelor degree in management for public administration and a post university diploma as expert for sustainable development both from the Economic Academy of Bucharest. Before joining EPG, Ioana worked for Romanian Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests as european affairs advisor within Climate Strategies and Reporting Department. Over the last years, she has been involved in addressing climate change at national level, by developing policies and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the effects and impacts of climate change. At international level she acted as rapporteur for climate change adaptation policies and NECP, is member of UNFCCC expert roster and coordinated Romania’s accession process to the OECD, in the field of climate change. Contact: ioana.vasiliu@enpg.ro

In response to the Commission’s communication on March 8, 2022, titled “RePowerEU: Joint European Action for more affordable, secure, and sustainable energy,” EU Member States have been called upon to diversify their energy sources and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. To facilitate the rapid development of renewable energy projects while minimizing their territorial impact, the European Commission introduced several key initiatives as part of the "REPowerEU Plan."

Independent scientific advisory bodies are consultative organisations composed of various experts with the role of advising governments on climate policy and monitoring progress towards reaching climate targets. Their overarching role includes identifying the shortcomings in climate policy and offering scientific advice to improve it. Climate policy would thus be enhanced by linking the latest scientific evidence to policymaking and filling the gap left by the lack of institutional capacity and in-house expertise of the government. Through this influx of expertise, Romania could also gain more ownership over its climate policies, by enabling domestic debate and initiative, rather than merely transposing EU legislation. Ana-Maria Niculicea, EPG Researcher, Clean Economy Team Ana-Maria Niculicea is a Researcher at Energy Policy Group focusing on aspects relating to climate governance and the social acceptance of the transition. She holds a MSc in Politics, Economics and Philosophy from University of Hamburg and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from National University of Political Studies and Public Administration.  Contact: ana.niculicea@enpg.ro

The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) brings new provisions on accounting and managing whole-lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions in buildings. This approach, which implies addressing emissions along a building’s entire value chain (fromthe production of construction materials to demolition and post-demolition phases) can help increase coordination and grow low-carbon construction industries and had already been applied in several EU Member States before the revision of the EPBD. For countries yet institutionally unfamiliar with the concept of whole-life carbon (WLC), such as Romania, implementing the EPBD provisions on lifecycle emissions will imply a major regulatory overhaul. In Romania, the major barrier to implementation of a WLC approach to buildings is the diversity and siloed application of existing legislation. Responsibilities are fragmented between multiple competent authorities, with insufficient coordination, as well as a lack of appropriate updating of policies. Existing or new policies could serve as umbrella frameworks, increasing coherence between the regulations, standards and specifications governing the materials production, construction, refurbishment, and demolition phases of buildings. Specific points of entry could be national construction laws, public procurement frameworks, or the transpositions of EU directives on sustainable materials, such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. To implement WLC and launch a low-emissions construction industry, Romania must overcome other barriers, including the high cost of producing low-carbon construction products, a lack of accessible funding and market creation instruments, low institutional capacity for implementation and cultural barriers including resistance to change driven by a lack of clarity in the benefits associated with green buildings. If these barriers are addressed, Romania’s construction sector, already an important employer and economic contributor, can create additional value by entering the green construction market, which is growing across the EU. Overcoming these barriers will also ensure compliance with the revised EPBD and aligning Romania’s construction legislation with the EU-wide transition to a low-carbon economy. Luciana Miu, EPG Head of Clean Economy Luciana Miu is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall. She is passionate about volunteer work, being one of the founding members of European Youth Energy Network and a professional speaker for conferences dedicated to the role of youth in energy transition. Contact: luciana.miu@enpg.ro

To reach climate neutrality by 2050, the European Union has set a 55% emission reduction target for 2030 and the European Commission has proposed a 90% reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Romania, through its multiple strategies and plans, has set out a vision for gradually decreasing its emissions. While these documents reflect significant strides forward for the energy transition, especially by committing to a coal phaseout calendar by 2032, they are fraught with inconsistencies and partly rely on sizeable investments in fossil capacities. Various projects on nuclear and hydro energy are also constantly announced with limited assessment of their suitability in an increasingly decarbonised power sector. In this report, we assess Romania’s energy transition pathway. The European Gas Market Model and the European Power Market Model developed by REKK were utilised to understand the impact of Romania’s plans on emissions and the energy market and to see how Romania could resize its fossil capacity investments and achieve a carbon-neutral power sector in 2040. The models simulate a fully functional and liberalised energy markets to show the impact of different measures on wholesale energy prices. Based on the modelling results several important conclusions can be drawn: Romania can reach a completely decarbonised electricity production mix in 2040 with no security of supply risks by aiming to have no more than 3.5 GW1 of total installed gas-fired capacities by 2030 and by focusing more on wind power and a higher deployment of storage technologies. In contrast, the investments outlined in Romania’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) do not ensure a decarbonised energy sector by 2040. The Romanian power sector would emit 9.2 MtCO2 in 2030 (which can be halved in a lower-gas scenario) and 3.5 MtCO2 in 2040, at slightly higher wholesale electricity prices. Replacing natural gas with hydrogen in 2035 in the all-installed capacities (as outlined in Romania’s Long-Term decarbonisation Strategy) would mean that these assets would no longer be utilised. This is because replacing gas with hydrogen would significantly deteriorate the cost-competitiveness of these capacities, immediately reaching a utilisation rate lower than 0.1%, given the high fuel prices of 82 EUR/MWh in 2030, according to renewable hydrogen cost estimations presented in the draft National Hydrogen Strategy. There is therefore a significant risk that even ‘hydrogen-ready’ investments would continue to operate on fossil fuels for economic reasons, consequently not achieving their promised emissions reductions. A higher focus on wind energy (17.7 GW onshore and 7.3 GW offshore in 2040,compared to 13.1 GW altogether in official plans) can contribute to decarbonising the power sector by 2040. Romania appears to have a regional competitive advantage in wind production. The market value of wind remains higher than that of solar for all modelled years, while lower wind investments are expected in Hungary and Bulgaria. Even with higher renewable shares than presented in official documents, Romania’s power sector can deliver on security of supply requirements. The higher balancing reserve requirement can be accommodated through investments in storage (reaching 880 MW in 2030 and 3.4 GW in 2040) covered by existing hydro capacities, new storage installations and, until 2035, gas power plants. An annual installation of 800 MW rooftop PV and 120 MW in battery can further decrease balancing pressures and slightly decrease wholesale prices (by about 1.1 EUR/MWh in 2040). A high renewables scenario would also have a positive impact on the electricity trade balance. In either scenario, Romania becomes a net exporter of electricity from 2030. 17.5 GW of solar capacities as well as 17.7 GW onshore and 7.3 GW offshore wind is sufficient to achieve a decarbonised power sector by 2040. Existing hydro power facilities are key for balancing a renewables-dominated power sector. However, new investments in hydro capacities (including 300 MW in small hydro installations and a 1 GW pumped hydro capacity that would come online in 2032) would only have a limited effect on electricity prices and security of supply – assuming the mentioned battery storage investments are realised. Hard coal and lignite phaseout are manageable from a security of supply perspective, even with lower than planned investments in gas capacities. Based on market prices alone, the modelling results show that coal fired production will rarely be economical from 2025 (expected capacity factor of less than 1%). New nuclear energy capacities can contribute to achieving a decarbonised power sector, even if the planned investments suffer delays. The modelling results show that slight delays in the construction of new nuclear (two new conventional CANDU reactors and 460 MW of small modular reactors) do not pose security of supply risks, even in a lower-gas scenario of 3.5 GW installed gas capacities. Even with such delays, Romania would continue to be a net electricity exporter after 2030 based on the expansion of its renewable capacities, albeit the prices of electricity and CO2 would be slightly higher, because of the nuclear delay. Additionally, the refurbishment of Cernavodă’s Unit 1, scheduled for 2027–2029, which will take 700 MW out of the system, will not pose supply security risks, even in a lowergas scenario. This is because significant new renewable energy sources (RES) will begin operating, with solar energy nearly doubling from 4.3 GW to 8.2 GW and onshore wind increasing by more than 50% from 5 GW to 7.9 GW between 2025 and 2030. Natural gas capacities will increase by 500 MW, and battery storage will see an approximately fourfold growth in the same timeframe. Mihnea Cătuți, EPG Head of Research Mihnea is the Head of Research at EPG, coordinating the research strategy and activities within the organisation. His expertise includes EU climate and energy policy and the transition in South-East Europe.He is also an Associate in E3G’s Clean Economy Programme, contributing to the work on industrial decarbonisation. In the past, Mihnea was an associate researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), where he led the work on the future of hydrogen in the EU. He was also an associate lecturer in Public Policy at the University of York. Mihnea has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Bristol and...

În siajul crizei energetice declanșate în 2022, caracterizată de un deficit de gaze naturale pe piețele europene și niveluri record ale prețurilor energiei, pompa de căldură iese în evidență ca fiind cea mai eficientă și mai puțin poluantă soluție pentru încălzirea și răcirea clădirilor. Prezentul studiu estimează perspectivele pompelor de căldură pentru locuințe individuale și clădiri în România până anul 2030, luând în calcul tehnologiile mature comercial în prezent printr-o modelare bazată pe multiple scenarii plauzibile de adopție a tehnologiei. Prima secțiune a studiului prezintă principiul termodinamic de funcționare al pompelor de căldură, principalele tipuri constructive și caracteristicile generale de utilizare. Supozițiile, scenariile și metodologia de lucru sunt descrise pe scurt în secțiunea 2. Secțiunea 3 redă rezultatele analizei din punct de vedere al numărului de pompe de căldură instalate, pe tipuri de clădiri și de tehnologie, precum și costurile estimate ale instalării și operării acestor sisteme. Rezultatele includ date comparative privind consumul dislocat de gaze naturale prin înlocuirea centralelor de apartament cu pompe de căldură, împreună cu emisiile evitate de gaze cu efect de seră (CO2 echivalent). Secțiunea 4 conține o serie de recomandări de politici publice prin care este facilitată adopția pompelor de căldură în România, inspirate de bune practici din alte state membre ale UE pentru depășirea barierei costurilor mari de investiție (CAPEX) și asigurarea unui raport al prețului final energie electrică/gaze naturale care să stimuleze utilizarea pompelor de căldură. Radu Dudău, EPG Co-Founder & President Radu Dudău is President and co-founder of EPG. He was, from 2007 to 2023, an Associate Professor at the Bucharest University. From 2006 to 2010 he was Deputy Director at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). He graduated in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Iași. He holds a Dr. Phil. degree in Philosophy (magna cum laude) from Konstanz University (Germany) and a PhD in Political Science (International Relations) (summa cum laude) from the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA, Bucharest). He was a Fulbright Fellow with the National Security Program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (2011), a New Europe College Fellow at the Danish Institute of International Relations (Copenhagen, 2006) and an OSI/FCO-Chevening scholar at Oxford University (1999-2000). His work focuses on energy policy, energy technology, and energy markets. Contact: office@enpg.ro

This new research position will support the research activities on the decarbonisation of buildings or industry within the Clean Economy program, one of our two main research programs.

2023 was a good year for EPG: we extended, diversified and strengthened our team, reaching 20 in-house researchers and associates; closed new partnerships with reputed international think-tanks, such as CATF, Third Way, and Reform Institute; and engaged in new policy research, with no less than 15 multi-annual European projects currently ongoing.

Lansare de proiect: RENewLand, o soluție echitabilă pentru desemnarea zonelor de accelerare pentru energie regenerabilă Energy Policy Group (EPG) și WWF-România (Fondul Mondial pentru Natură) anunță lansarea oficială a proiectului RENewLand, prin care ne propunem să aducem în atenția autorităților un model de abordare intersectorială și multidisciplinară pentru desemnarea zonelor pretabile accelerării energiei eoliene și solare terestre în România, Bulgaria și Ungaria.

[OPEN] EPG is looking for experts to perform an evaluation of the potential market for a large-scale liquid hydrogen refuelling station (LS-LHRS)

Energy Policy Group is looking for experts with technical expertise on spatial planning for renewable energy sources and land hierarchy conflict, to elaborate an analysis on best practices and offer support for an experience exchange webinar.

Ca parte a ambițiilor Pactului Ecologic European, România s-a angajat să își reducă cu 95% emisiile de dioxid de carbon până în 20501. Atingerea acestei ținte necesită o schimbare profundă a tehnologiilor, materialelor și proceselor din economie, în sensul electrificării, al eficienței energetice și al reducerii emisiilor de carbon în toate ramurile economice – energie, industrie, transporturi, agricultură, clădiri.