Eightfold increase in number of prosumers recorded in Romania in 2021

Romania enabled a massive increase last year in the number of prosumers connected to the distribution grid, by 732% to 13,596, with ongoing subsidy programs, reforms and investments in smart metering.

Prosumers are one of the most dynamic parts of the electricity system, according to the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority – ANRE. Economica.net reported, citing the agency’s data, that legislation change from 2020 led to an increase in the number of prosumers by 8.3 times last year. At the same time, installed power in the category grew 5.2 times to 85 MW.

Romania increased the upper limit of installed capacity per prosumer in 2020 to 100 kW from 27 kW

When households, businesses or institutions have a power source for their own consumption, usually photovoltaics or other renewables, they are called prosumers as they both produce and consume electricity.

In a stricter sense, prosumers use power from the grid when they produce too little for themselves and deliver excess energy to the network when the output is too big for their needs. In that case, home batteries or electric vehicles can become an important part of the equation instead of or in combination with solar panels. The concept is becoming more important for grid stability at a time when the share of photovoltaics and wind farms is growing.

The installed capacity in the prosumer segment increased by more than five times in 2021, to 85 MW

ANRE shared its list of prosumers that are connected to the electricity distribution network. Among other measures and ongoing reforms, Romania has increased the upper limit of installed capacity to 100 kW from 27 kW.

The number of prosumers jumped 183% in the fourth quarter of 2020 alone, to 1,634, and after that by 732% to 13,596 through the end of 2021, in spite of glitches in a program for households. Installed power advanced 74% to 16.2 MW and 424% to 85 MW, respectively, in the same two periods.

Power distribution operator Distribuție Energie Oltenia connected the most prosumers, 20% of the total, while E-Distribuţie Muntenia has the largest installed capacity – 24%. The efforts to boost the prosumer segment required a massive rollout of smart meters throughout the country.