Terms used
E-RES – renewable energy (renewable energy source); it comes from wind, solar, biomass, waves, hydrogen and geothermal sources, plus hydro sources up to 10MW put in function after 2004 or modernized
GC – Green Certificate issued for E-RES produced
OPCOM – energy exchange, www.opcom.ro
Transelectrica – electricity grid operator (major shareholder is Romanian state)
ANRE – energy sector regulator
E-RES promotion in Romania
- The producer of E-RES gets registered with ANRE and receives GCs issued from Transelectrica for each 1MWh of energy
- For solar energy – 4 GCs per 1 MWh to be issued according to the old law 220/2008. In 2010 the new law 139 was passed according to which there are 6 GCs issued for 1 MWh delivered to the grid.
- GCs are traded at OPCOM or through bilateral contracts (most common), the price range is set up by the law 220/2008 between EUR 27 and 55, currently traded at OPCOM for approx. EUR 54. The price range of GCs is a hedged to EU27 inflation.
- Producers of E-RES receive apart from GCs a market price for the energy (OPCOM, bilateral contracts).
- Transelectrica should connect the E-RES producers to the grid in the extent that doesn’t mean a threat to the system. The suppliers/distributors to the end consumer (CEZ, ENEL, E-ON, Electrica) report the purchased E-RES quantities to Transelectrica.
- Suppliers/distributors to end consumers are obliged by the law 220/2008 to purchase certain yearly quotas of E-RES (8.3% in 2010) which they prove by corresponding nr. of GCs (1GC equal to 1MWh delivered to customers), obtained directly from producers (bilateral contracts) or at OPCOM. In case they do not possess a corresponding number of GCs – they pay a penalty of EUR 70 for each missing GC to ANRE; these financial sources then should be invested into the grid modernization. The sheet below shows the annual quotas of GCs as percentage of total consumption, obligatory for all suppliers/distributors.
- It is worth noticing that E-RES producers obtain various numbers of GCs for 1 MWh of E-RES produced (depending on the E-RES type).
- Naturally subsidizing the system by energy suppliers/distributors who bear the costs of GCs will create pressure on ANRE to increase regulated prices of energy for end customers.
- The price of the energy at OPCOM is roughly EUR 40 per 1MWh while the GCs maximum price is EUR 55; in case of solar energy the maximum final price would be:
6 x 55 + 40 = EUR 370 / 1MWh
the price mechanism shows certain potential for fluctuation as neither GCs nor the energy price are fixed for a certain period. - In Romania the sun radiation is significantly stronger than for example in Czech Republic. The difference may reach 30%. We recommend studying available maps of sun radiation.
| Year | Estimated consumption (GWh) | Annual quotas of GC (%) | Targeted qty of green certificates (000 GC) |
| 2009 | 53,000 | 6,28% | 3,328 |
| 2010 | 53,000 | 8,30% | 4,399 |
| 2011 | 54,060 | 8,30% | 4,487 |
| 2012 | 55,141 | 8,30% | 4,577 |
| 2013 | 56,244 | 8,30% | 5,062 |
| 2014 | 57,369 | 9,00 % | 5,737 |
| 2015 | 58,516 | 10,00 % | 6,320 |
| 2016 | 59,687 | 10,80 % | 7,162 |
| 2017 | 60,880 | 12,00 % | 8,036 |
| 2018 | 62,098 | 13,20 % | 8,942 |
| 2019 | 63,340 | 14,40 % | 9,881 |
| 2020 | 64,607 | 15,60 % | 10,854 |
| Total | 697,942 | 78,785 |
