Romania to adopt law on offshore wind this year – minister Popescu

Romania’s Energy Minister Virgil Popescu said the Government would finish the offshore wind law this year as soon as possible.

He added that the Black Sea is a huge energy source, both in terms of natural gas production and the installation of wind farms. Popescu said he saw one version of the future law and expressed confidence it would be adopted this year.

Maybe it is not perfect, but Romania will get a law that will allow the potential of wind for electricity generation to be evaluated, the minister said, as quoted by the domestic media.

The law will include new subsidy schemes

Romania’s National Agency for Mineral Resources has suggested leasing locations for electricity production in the Black Sea, but Popescu is against the proposal.

He said that the law would include new subsidy schemes, such as contracts for difference and incentives from the Modernization Fund.

Without a law, investors can not conduct measurements of wind potential

According to the minister, without a law, investors can not conduct measurements of wind potential.

Popescu noted state-owned hydropower company Hidroelectrica is ready to start an investment in the Black Sea and added that he is convinced that it would find partners for the first offshore wind farm of at least 300 MW.

In May last year, Romania’s biggest power producer Hidroelectrica announced a plan to install an offshore wind park in the Black Sea, with a capacity of 500 MW.

The investment requires upgrading the transmission system and improvements of the 400 kV power ring, but solutions are prepared with grid operator Transelectrica, Popescu said.