Transcript RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN ROMANIA

RENEWABLE
ENERGY SOURCES
IN ROMANIA
Renewable energy sources are becoming more and more
popular worldwide. Romania has the chance to obtain energy in a
non-emission manner, increase energy safety, and meet EU
requirements with respect to the E-RES share.
Generation of electricity from wind or other renewable sources
is not an issue for environmentalists only. It is also an inevitable
future of the national power system that has to improve production
and restore existing capacities with the aim to meet the increased
consumption needs.
Renewable energy is energy
derived from natural resources,
which are naturally replenished.
Without limitation, these natural
resources refer to: sunlight,
wind, rain, tides, and
geothermal heat.
Considering the advantages
brought by these E-RES in
terms of lower polluting effects
and use by millions of
households, wide geographical
spread compared to traditional
energy, climate change
concerns, increasing oil prices
and the global financial crisis,
many governments adopted
regulations and policies aimed
to help the industry.
The Romania’s climate and geographical position – with the Black
Sea to the east, the Carpathians in the centre and the Danube
crossing the territory in the south – provides many opportunities to
exploit its renewable energy sources.
For over 30 years, Romania’s most important source of clean
energy has been large hydropower plants. Up to and including 2009,
other renewable sources accounted for only a very small share of
electricity production in Romania. In 2010 the situation began to
change dramatically in favour of renewable energy sources (other than
large hydropower plants) and especially wind.
At the end of 2012, the produced
electricity in Romania was 60.44 TWh,
out of which were: conventional thermal
power of 33.18 TWh; hydropower of
12.23 TWh; the nuclear power of 11.47
TWh; wind power of 2.64 TWh and
other renewable energy sources of 0.92
TWh.
8% of Romania’s gross energy
consumption in 2012 was covered by
alternative energy. This includes wind
energy which brought the large majority
of energy but also hidroenergy,
photovoltaic and biomass energy.
The first wind turbine was installed in
Romania in 2004. In 2007 and 2008,
hundreds of masts were installed
around Romania to collect data on wind
patterns.
Romania’s operational wind farms are mainly located in
Dobrogea, on the Black Sea coast, where average wind speeds
can reach 7 m/s at an altitude of 100 m. The region is flat and
sparsely populated, which makes it possible to install a large
number of wind turbines.
There are also two other regions with a high wind power
potential in Romania: Moldova and Caraş Severin. At the end of
2011, 88% of Romania’s installed capacity was in the Dobrogea
area, while in 2012 there has been a shift towards the North East
of the country.
In 2012, the largest onshore
wind energy park in Romania
was finalized. The park
developed by CEZ in
Fântânele-Cogealac-Grădina
(Constanta county) has a total
capacity of 600 MW, out of
which 200 MW were installed in
2012.
Enel Green Power has also
continued the ascension in the
wind energy sector of Romania
with a total of almost 500 MW,
out of which 325 MW were
installed in 2012 (the largest
park is in Târguşor - Dobrogea
and has a capacity of 120 MW).
Iberdrola finalized a 80 MW
park at Mihai Viteazu –
Constanta county.
Verbund commissioned a 100 MW
park at Casimcea-(Tulcea
County).
GDF Suez commissioned a 47.5
MW park in Brăila.
An 123 MW park was built in
Pantelimon, Constanţa county,
by Monsson and Vestas.
In 2013, the following wind farms are expected to become
functional:
- Băbeni (Galaţi County)
- Chirnogeni (Constanţa County )
- Făcăeni (Ialomiţa county)
- Mircea Voda (Constanţa county)
The above development would bring a total of 494 MW of new
energy coming from wind energy sources.
At the time of redacting this report are 2,200 MW installed in
Romania. The progress is remarkable since 2010, the year that
marked the important step towards maturity of the wind energy and
which brought Romania on the 10th place in EU for the capacity
installed.
Looking at the Romanian map of wind farms, it should be noted how,
since 2009, many wind farms have been built that are now producing a
significant amount of “green energy” on an international scale. This once
again proves Romania’s huge potential in terms of renewable energy
and future investment.
Romania is currently one of the top 15 most attractive countries in
the world for renewable energy investments. In 2013 it again saw
growth in terms of its installed wind power capacity, maintaining the
upward trend of recent years.
The number of investments in wind farms in Romania increased
significantly during 2012, demonstrating the attractive conditions for
development the sector offers. At the end of 2012, the total registered
aggregate installed capacity amounted to 1,905 MW. This implies a
rise in installed capacity of 94% compared with 2011.
Solar energy is the energy derived from
the sun through the form of solar radiation.
Solar powered electrical generation relies
on photovoltaic and thermo-solar methods.
The corresponding technologies are
broadly characterized as either active or
passive solar users, depending on the way
they capture, convert and distribute solar
energy. Active solar techniques include the
use of photovoltaic panels and solar
thermal collectors to harness the energy.
Passive solar techniques include orienting
a building to the sun, selecting materials
with favourable thermal potential or light
dispersing properties, and designing
spaces that naturally circulate air.
The Romanian installed capacity at the
end of 2012 was only 41 MW, out of which
25 MW were installed during 2012.
Romania’s solar market has continued to grow exponentially and
has shown high levels of activity, which supports the numerous
projections that foresee it will experience strong growth through 2013
and reinforces the attractiveness of the sector.
Romania is on the 24th place worldwide in the solar energy sector.
The national energy regulator estimates 1,000 MW will be installed by
the end of the year.
The geothermal studies based on
temperature measurements have led
to the creation of geothermal maps
for Romania showing the distribution
of temperature at depths of 1, 2, 3
and 5 km.
The studies also singles out
regions with concentrations of
geothermal resources at between 60
and 120 degrees Celsius
(geothermal waters for the
production of thermal energy) and
areas in which the temperature at a
depth of 3 km exceeds 140 degrees
Celsius (potential areas for the
exploitation of geothermal energy
with a view to producing electricity).
The areas where the underground geothermal waters
are used for heating purposes (with a temperature at
emergence of 60 to 120 Celsius degrees) are mostly
located in the north-western part of the country.
Hydropower represents the most significant E-RES in Romania.
According to the study regarding the evaluation of the current
power potential of renewable energy sources in Romania, the rivers
with the greatest hydropower potential are the rivers Olt, Mureş and
Tisa-Someş.
According to ANRE, at the end of 2012 there were 112 producers
with micro-hydropower plants with a total installed capacity of 145 MW
and 55 developers with granted / requested setting-up authorisations
and a forecasted capacity of 123 MW.
Biomass is a
renewable energy
source derived from the
sun and urban waste,
plant material and
animal waste.
Biomass can
regenerate over a
relatively short period of
time. The main
approaches to using
plants for energy
production are growing
plants specifically for
energy use and using
the residues from plants
that are used for other
purposes.
For Romania, biomass represents an important RES, both in terms
of potential and utilization possibilities.
As per the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Romania has a significant agricultural potential as raw
materials used in the production of biofuels and bioliquids are widely
cultivated (sunflower, rape, soya, corn, sugar cane, sorghum,
energetic willow). As per the same source, Romania has a high
biomass potential (around 318 PJ/year).
According to
ANRE, at the end
of 2012 there
were 7 biomass
producers
(including
cogeneration)
with a total
installed capacity
of 28 MW and 9
developers with
granted /
requested
setting-up
authorisations
and a forecasted
capacity of 28
MW.
Alternative energy
and increase of energy
efficiency will continue to
be high on the agenda
of the Romania’s politics
for the next decades.
Romania seeks to
decrease her
dependence on energy
imports, and the best
ways to do so are to
increase internal energy
production with the help
of alternative energy and
to reduce energy
consumption by
increasing efficiency.
Thank you !