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Romania expects its overall energy storage to amount to at least 2.5 GW in operating power at the end of 2025, and to expand to as much as 5 GW a year later, local media reported, citing Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja.
These ambitious energy storage targets are aligned with transmission system operator Transelectrica’s recommendations and analysis, which show a need for at least 4 GW in operating power, according to Burduja.
Burduja has also called for investments in energy storage, stressing that the Ministry of Energy is making non-refundable grants available for this purpose. Romania wants mature projects that can be implemented quickly and that can help balance the system, he was quoted as saying.
Romania has allocated EUR 80 million under its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for energy storage projects, which is expected to result in contracts for a total of 1.8 GW of capacity, according to Burduja.
Romania has earmarked EUR 380 million to support energy storage projects
A further EUR 300 million has been earmarked in the Modernization Fund, EUR 150 million each for this year and next, which will mean at least 3 GW of new energy storage capacity, he said. The scheme will be launched this fall, as soon as the country obtains the necessary approvals from the European Commission, Burduja added.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Energy reopened its call to support battery storage for renewable energy integration, seeking at least 240 MW and 480 MWh of resources. The original call, which referred to at least 620 MWh, was expected to see projects selected by the end of 2023, according to reports.
In April, Romania’s largest battery storage system, of 24 MWh, was put into operation. It is the first phase of a project totaling 216 MWh. The facility is connected to the Mireasa wind farm of 50 MW, while a 35 MW solar power plant is expected to be added by the end of 2024.
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