The Energy Strategy foresees investments of 16 billion euros from European funds

The Ministry of Energy launched, on Friday, in public consultation, the project of Romania's Energy Strategy for the period 2025-2035, with the perspective of 2050, a document that foresees investments of 16 billion euros from European funds. Thus, according to the Foundation Note of the future government decision by which the new strategy will be approved, the value of the investments that Romania will be able to make using European funds through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and through the Modernization Fund exceeds 16 billion euros, and the investments they will target areas such as renewable energy, the replacement of coal in the energy mix, nuclear energy, cogeneration, bi-fuels and the modernization of the energy infrastructure.

Sebastian Burduja specified: "Romania aims to develop the energy sector in conditions of security, industrial competitiveness, accessibility for consumers and sustainability. The national energy sector must ensure the uninterrupted physical availability of energy to all consumers, in any situation, at an affordable price. Moreover, the energy sector must become more and more clean and environmentally friendly".

The Foundation Note also states: "Through the implementation of the Energy Strategy, access to electricity and thermal energy will be ensured for all consumers, the protection of vulnerable consumers and the reduction of energy poverty, competitive energy markets will be ensured, the quality of education in the field of energy will increase and continuous training of human resources. At the same time, through the implementation of the Strategy, in conjunction with access to European financing programs, the diversification and economic reconversion of the territories affected by the energy transition and ambitious environmental policies will be supported, by supporting productive investments in small and medium-sized enterprises, creating new enterprises, stimulating research and innovation, environmental rehabilitation, clean energy production as well as in the training and reskilling of workers, the transformation of existing installations with high carbon dioxide emissions when these investments lead to substantial reductions in emissions and protect jobs".

The cited document claims that the Energy Strategy offers opportunities for the involvement of SMEs through business development in order to carry out activities that lead to the fulfillment of the Strategy's objectives.

The Foundation Note mentions: "The implementation of priority investments, as well as the need to reach the targets assumed by Romania for the year 2030, opens the opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises to apply to European financing programs as well as to preferential loans from banks for investments considered sustainable from the point of view of taxonomy view. By implementing the directions established in the Strategy, employment opportunities will be created in the new sectors, and in those undergoing retraining transition, attractive conditions will be created for public and private investors, access to loans and financial support will be facilitated, it will be invested in the establishment of new enterprises, SMEs and startups, it will be invested in research and innovation activities".

The fundamental objectives of the Energy Strategy are energy security, energy with low carbon emissions, energy efficiency, physical access to energy for all consumers and financial accessibility, efficiency of energy markets, digitization and cyber security.

Romania's Energy Strategy is based on the following principles that must be fulfilled simultaneously:

- Prioritizing security of supply and the ability to respond to crises;

- Development of the energy sector based on the principle of efficiency and economic rationality;

- Economic and social equity for regions and people;

- Achieving climate neutrality by 2050;

- Creating a free, competitive and entrepreneurial energy market;

- Technological neutrality and the exploitation of all energy resources that can contribute to reducing emissions and strengthening the production chain;

- Development of the electric and thermal energy storage sector;

- Consolidation of the supply chain dedicated to the energy industry;

- Development of the circular economy.

The Energy Strategy, a 174-page document, is available for public consultation, on the relevant ministry's website, until July 13, during which the Ministry of Energy will organize several rounds of its debate with all interested stakeholders.