Romania is the last in the region in terms of alternative energy

We have the third geothermal potential from Europe, after Italy and Greece, and it is considered the country with the highest potential of Aeolian energy from the region. Moreover, it disposes of a quantity of solar energy bigger than the one of Germany or Austria, countries more developed then us, and with quite important biomass reserves. Despite all these Romania exploits them only in an extremely low measure. There are 12 producers of Aeolian energy, but their capacities totalize only 6,5 MW. For example, a nuclear reactor from Cernavoda has 700 MW, the thermo power station from the Iron Gate (Portile de Fier) 1.000 MW and the hydro power station from Turceni 1.700 MW. The Aeolian potential of Romania is of 14.000 MW. There are also five thermo power stations which use the sawdust as fuel, but these units don’t have more than 500 customers, these being mainly household consumers. These are situated in areas where there is intensively exploited the wood mass, respectively Tasca, Huedin, Intorsura Buzaului, Vatra Dornei and Gheorghieni. In what con- cerns the geothermal power, there were realized investments only in the area of Oradea and Calimanesti-Caciulata. The total capacity is of about 150 MWt. In the district Iosia, the company Transgex has built a geothermal power station which assures 5% of the warm water from Oradea. The local authorities have installed to Calimanesti three power derricks with the money from Phare funds. At the chapter Aeolian energy, the only investment after 1990 was realized at Mangalia. The company Rominservices Therm, which has as shareholders Rompetrol and the Local Council of Mangalia, has installed 540 solar collectors which directed to the decrease of the invoice for heat up to 16% for 660 apartments from the city near the seaside. The Minister of Environment, Atilla Korodi recently stated that if he had used all the solar potential of which Romania disposed, it could have substituted 50% of the volume for domestic warm water or 15% of the thermal power rate for current heating.

What shall we wait for

If at the level of endowment we have major weaknesses in what concerns the intentions and construction projects of some production stations for alternative energy things are quite good. The main goal of the private investors is represented by the Aeolian energy and the favorite location is Dobrogea. The officials of the national operator of power transportation, Transelectrica, recently stated that have received demands for connecting to the national power network of some Aeolian centers which totalized a capacity of 12.000 MW. In order to integrate this type of capacity it’s needed a national power system, said Dan Preotescu, director within Transelectrica. Accor- ding to him, 75% of the projects remain only at the level of intention. At the moment, the most advanced invention is an Aeolian station of 600 MW developed by the company Tomis Team in the area Tariverde from Tulcea. The station will become functional next year, according to the Transelectrica officials. Tomis Team is a company owned by an offshore from Cyprus, CWP Cyprus Limited, and by the Sweden businessman Emmanuel Muntmark. Also in the area Triverde, the Spanish from Iberdrola, through the company Eolica, developed as an Aeolian farm, also of 600 MW, but the project is less advanced then the previous one. The wind from the region Dobroga becomes more and more tempting for the big power companies from Europe. This was noticed especially during the last two years when there were recorded a few transactions which had as goal the development of the projects for Aeolian power. The Italians from Enel, which are on the Romanian market of power distribution, have purchased the company Blue Line SRL, which owns rights of development for an Aeolian farm with a capacity of 200 MW. The Czechs from CEZ also which are the owners of the former Electrica Oltenia, have purchased a project of Aeolian park of 600 MW from Continental Wind Partners LLC. The construction of the park, in the area Fantanele and Cogealac from Constanta, is estimated to 1,1 billion euro. Also the Portuguese group Energias de Portugal have purchased from a company recorded in Cyprus 85% from the capital of the companies Renovatio Power and Cernavoda Power, which developed a few Aeolian farms that sum up a capacity of 735 MW. According to the Romanian authorities, the potential of the green energy is as follows: 65% biomass, 17% Aeolian energy, 12% solar energy, 4% micro hydro power stations, 1% photovoltaic and 1% geothermal energy.

Hungary, regional leader for geothermal energy

Even if it doesn’t have the natural conditions existent to us, Hungary is more advanced in what concerns the use of the alternative resources. The strong point of the Hungarians is represented by the geothermal energy. At the moment the power stations from Hungary have a capacity of 690 MWt. At Borsod there is a power station of 30 MW and at Pecs one of 50 MW. In what concerns the Aeolian energy, in 2007, there was a capacity of 65 MW, according to Market Research Analyst. That means that the Hungarians use ten times more the wind energy then the Romanians. In the future, in Hungary there are stipulated investments in all types of alternative energies. The Spanish from Iberdrola develop an Aeolian project of 108 MW from Komarom and another from Ikervar of 27 MW. The company SWECO will raise a power station on a biomass of 210 MW at Dunaujvaros and Kalocsa Hoeromu one at Kalocsa and other to Szerencs. Moreover, at Tatabanya and at Retsag there are construction projects of two solar power stations, of 80 MW and respective of 50 MW.

The Bulgarians make money from wind

On Aeolian sector, Bulgaria has for the moment more achivements then Romania and also then Hun- gary. According to Novinite, the neighbours from the South have an installed power of 105 MW. The maximum potential is of 3.000 MW against 14.000 as it could develop in Romania. In what concerns the solar energy, the Bulgarians fortune is of 2 MW and for geothermal energy is used only 30 MW from 107 MW as it is disposed at the moment. As also in Romania, the most significant projects are in the Aeolian energy. AES Geo Power will build a farm of 200 MW at Kavarna, Balkan Energy will invest also 200 MW at Dobrich, and Plambeck Neue Energien will invest in a power station of 250 MW. The next year, two solar power stations will become functional in the area Pirin. Of the former-Soviet states, Ukraine is the country where was invested the most in the alternative energy. At the moment it owns a capacity of producing Aeolian energy of 86 MW, and the biomass from Ukraine assures 0,5% of the entire energy. Not so good is at the chapter geothermal, with only 10 MW installed and at the solar energy where there were made investments extremely small. Lower then Romania are Serbia and Moldavia. In Serbia, the only direction that was insisted on was the geothermal energy. At the moment, there are 88 MWt installed capacity. The announced investments till now are in biomass and the Aeolian energy, but these are of small proportions. In Moldavia the alternative energy means only a few capacities under 1 MW in biomass. The potential of the country related to the Aeolian energy is somewhere at 1.000 MW.

Where from can we use the alternative energy

According to the power strategy elaborated by the Ministry of Economy, Dobrogea is favorable for developing the Aeolian and solar energy projects, in Campia de Vest in geothermal energy and in Campia de Sud in biomass, solar and geothermal energy. Transilvania and Subcarpatii have big potential in what concerns the development of the micro hydro power stations.