The Role of Hydrogen in Romania’s Low-Carbon Economy. Results of the Annual Decarbonisation Perspective Model for Romania

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...

The Role of Carbon Capture in Romania’s Low-Carbon Economy. Results of the Annual Decarbonisation Perspective Model for Romania

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...

Pathways for Decarbonising Romania’s Economy. Results from the Annual Decarbonisation Perspective Model

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: Mihnea Cătuți, EPG Head of Research Mihnea is the Head of...

Renovările subperformante ale clădirilor din Europa Centrală și de Est. De ce are loc fenomenul și ce soluții există?

Underperforming Renovations in the CEE Region: Challenges and Recommendations

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...

Achizițiile publice ecologice. Primul pas esențial pentru decarbonizarea industriilor grele din România

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...

The Cost of Romania’s Industrial Transition

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...

Harnessing Solar Power: a Key Driver for Romania’s Decarbonisation Pathway

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....

EPG REPORTS — Assesing the link between climate governance and citizens in Romania: socio-economic impact and public participation

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...