Speaking at the energy conference, Romanian Minister of Energy Virgil Popescu said that the offshore wind law will be ready as soon as possible, adding that investors will be able to carry measurements for future projects by the end of the year.
Minister Popescu pointed to one such project – a 300MW offshore wind farm envisaged by state- owned electricity producer Hidroelectrica, in partnership with other investors. He said that the current draft of the law is not ideal, but having a law at all so that the explorations in the area could start is enough for now. The law will also include new incentives, such as contracts for difference (CfD) and grants from the Modernization Fund.
He also said that he did not agree with the National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM) to let them lease offshore perimeters for electricity produced from win, as this institution manages the reserves of the land.
In May, CEO of Hidroelectrica Bogdan Badea said that the company plans to invest in the construction of 300 MW in offshore and onshore wind farms each in the next few years, as well as in the production of green hydrogen.
According to a study by Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), technical potential for offshore wind farms in the Romanian continental shelf of the Black Sea is over 76,000 MW. Of the 76,000 MW, 22,000 MW could be installed in wind turbines fixed to the seabed, and 54,000 MW in floating installations.
