Romania’s photovoltaic boom could backfire because of old power grid

Romania’s old power grid may not be able to cope with the unprecedented surge in the use of photovoltaic systems which so far has resulted in a volume of 1.063 MW of energy generation.

The data derived from the latest quarterly report released by the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE), reveals an average of 263 new connections daily as of July 2023, double 2022.

Just two years ago, ANRE projected that this milestone would not be achieved by 2030.

“I have consistently advocated for prosumers to enhance energy efficiency. (…) However, I caution against oversized production facilities that lead to an excessive monetisation of surplus energy,” remarks George Niculescu, the president of ANRE, emphasising the necessity of establishing a capacity threshold for residential installations.

Given the current rapid expansion, the total installed capacity is projected to reach 2,000 MW within the coming year, vastly outpacing earlier forecasts, an equivalent of the output of a nuclear reactor, HotNews.ro reports, citing experts.

However, the energy surplus could backfire because the old power grid would not be able to cope, possibly leading to blackouts.

Niculescu highlights instances where a consumer, despite having a technical notice for a 5 kW connection, opts for a 20 kW installation due to roof capacity, thereby causing an imbalance in the distribution network.

“We end up in a situation where the tenth neighbour on the street can’t connect, and if they do connect, we will have problems with the low voltage distribution.”, Niculescu added. “We don’t want to discourage this process, but we want it to be an energy efficiency measure, not a monetisation of a situation,” stressed the ANRE president.

The Distributors Federation of Associations of Energy Utility Companies (ACUE) also advocates for a threshold for these capacities as a percentage of the needs and the introduction of standards for prosumers.

The State subsidies granted through the Environmental Fund Administration actively encourages consumers through financial support. Funding is available up to a maximum of 20,000 lei (approximately €4,000).

(Manuela Preoteasa | Euractiv.ro)