Romania Renewable Energy Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Romania Renewable Energy Market Trends and Insights

Accelerated EU-funded Grid Modernisation Pipeline

EUR 815 million from the EU Modernisation Fund is earmarked to unlock renewable connections, and Transelectrica broke ground on the EUR 134 million 400 kV Constanța Nord-Medgidia Sud line in 2024, an asset sized to relieve at least 273 MW of constrained wind capacity.^{(1)Transelectrica, “400 kV Constanța Nord–Medgidia Sud Project Factsheet,” transelectrica.ro} The project is the first in a series of high-voltage reinforcements that collectively aim to add more than 2 GW of transferable capacity by 2026. Parallel smart-grid rollouts and 29 transmission-station solar retrofits further digitalize the network, reducing curtailments. These upgrades directly bolster the Romania renewable energy market by compressing interconnection timelines and stabilizing wholesale prices. In concert with national plans for 40 GW of total installed capacity by 2035, of which 80% must be renewable, modernized lines bridge resource hubs with demand centers, enabling future offshore wind injections.

Surge in Corporate PPAs from Energy-Intensive Exporters

Industrial exporters are shifting their procurement models to secure green electricity and avoid looming carbon-border tariffs. The landmark OMV Petrom–DRI solar PPA, signed in 2024, covers approximately 100 GWh annually for 8.5 years.^{(2)OMV Petrom, “Solar and Wind PPAs Signed in 2024,” omvpetrom.com} Saint-Gobain followed with an 800 GWh wind deal effective 2026, while Bekaert inked a 100 GWh virtual PPA with Rezolv Energy, ensuring 10-year price certainty. These contracts diversify revenue streams for developers, derisk project financing, and expedite final investment decisions. PPA momentum enhances demand visibility, increasing the confidence of institutional investors in funding large pipelines, which in turn is expected to expand the Romania renewable energy market.

Post-Coal Land Repurposing for Mega-Solar Parks

Romania’s coal phase-out, legally binding by 2032, releases sizeable tracts of grid-connected land. Gorj County alone has access to EUR 550 million of Just Transition Fund money for redevelopment. CE Oltenia’s delayed replacement program leaves a 2026-28 generation gap that solar developers are eager to fill.^{(3)CE Oltenia, “Just Transition Projects Overview,” ceoltenia.ro} Brownfield mine sites often possess transmission access, water rights, and perimetral fencing, slicing permitting complexity and build costs. Social initiatives such as RenewAcad retrain coal workers, easing local acceptance and assembling a renewable-ready workforce.

Black Sea Offshore-Wind Roadmap (3–7 GW by 2035)

Law 121/2024, enacted in May 2024, created a dedicated offshore regime, setting the stage for up to 7 GW of capacity by 2035 and targeting first power in 2032.^{(4)Government of Romania, “Law 121/2024 on Offshore Wind,” gov.ro}The World Bank finds 76 GW of technical potential in Romanian waters, implying a deep supply-chain opportunity. BSOG's flagship 3 GW Midia perimeter project is now Romania's most advanced offshore proposal. The Black Sea's superior load factors can cut levelized costs by more than 30% compared to inland wind. Although subsea cabling and onshore reinforcement require significant capital investment, offshore wind introduces a new technology vector that could expand Romania's renewable energy market in the long term.

Transmission Bottlenecks in Dobrogea Wind Corridor

Romania’s highest-yield wind sites in Dobrogea are limited by saturated 220 kV lines that restrain roughly 500 MW of potential additions. Curtailments reach 8% during windy nights, denting project economics. Developers face higher debt-service cover ratios and a slower financial close. Until the Constanța Nord-Medgidia Sud backbone and companion 400 kV loops enter service, grid access queues lengthen, depressing the near-term CAGR in the Romanian renewable energy market.

Policy Volatility Around Price Caps & CfD Rollout

Emergency price caps, which have been shifted quarterly since 2022, compress merchant revenues and create hedging uncertainty. The inaugural 1.5 GW CfD auction cleared at EUR 78 to 82/MWh; however, the parameters for subsequent rounds remain undefined. Variable fiscal terms complicate lender appraisals and extend due diligence cycles. For prosumers, VAT reimbursement delays of up to 12 months sap household cash flow. This governance shift is hampering the otherwise vibrant outlook of the Romanian renewable energy market.

Segment Analysis

By Technology: Hydropower Anchors While Solar Accelerates

Hydropower retained a 45.4% share of the Romania renewable energy market in 2024, buoyed by 6 GW of installed dams straddling the Carpathian rivers. Solar, however, delivered the steepest trajectory, climbing 59% year-on-year and pushing cumulative photovoltaic capacity to 5.3 GW. Within the Romania renewable energy market size for technologies, hydropower accounted for roughly 7 GW in 2024, whereas solar is projected to surpass 12 GW by 2030. Generous CfD ceilings of EUR 78/MWh, smarter inverters, and simplified one-stop permitting offices in seven counties underpin a 14.7% CAGR for solar. Wind holds a steady second position, with onshore pipelines of 4.6 GW and the landmark offshore regime offering longer-dated expansion vectors. Bioenergy relies on EU rural development grants to monetize crop waste, and pilot plants in Dolj County are testing the co-digestion of manure and straw. Although ocean energy remains embryonic, the Black Sea's mild tidal range may suit point-absorber wave devices post-2030, thereby extending the diversity of technology.

The Romania renewable energy market benefits structurally from solar's short construction cycle, making it the preferred hedge against policy swings. Nevertheless, the dominance of hydropower ensures a year-round baseload that tempers volatility, boosting investor confidence. Pumped-storage upgrades at Tarnița-Lăpuștești could add 1 GW of storage-enabled flexibility by 2029, magnifying the integration of variable renewables. Hybrid solar-plus-wind plus battery offerings emerge in Constanța County, offering sub-60 EUR/MWh levelized costs and attracting corporate offtakers. Over the forecast window, solar's share of Romania's renewable energy market size is expected to narrow the gap with hydropower as land-repurposed mega-parks in Gorj and Hunedoara come online.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By End-User: Utilities Dominate as C&I Segment Surges

Utilities controlled 55.9% of installed renewable energy capacity in 2024, comprising 8.6 GW of capacity across hydro, wind, and solar assets. Their incumbency grants grid-code familiarity, dispatch rights, and vertically integrated supply portfolios. Yet, commercial and industrial entities are slated to scale their capacity at a 10.2% CAGR, thereby increasing their share of the Romanian renewable energy market size to an expected 6 GW by 2030. Multinationals seeking zero-carbon certifications are fueling direct-PPA pipelines, while domestic exporters hedge their exposure to EU carbon border levies. Tier-1 banks now tailor sustainability-linked loans with margin ratchets tied to renewable-sourcing milestones, aligning finance costs with decarbonization paths.

The resurgent prosumer class is accelerating residential participation, forecasted to reach 2.5 GW by 2030. Although residential contributions remain modest versus utility portfolios, their locational diversity reduces line losses and supplies reactive power. Municipalities experiment with community energy cooperatives that bundle rooftop arrays with demand-response platforms, expanding citizen equity in the Romania renewable energy industry. Utilities adapt by offering turnkey rooftop kits and subscription-based flexibility services, defending market share while exploring digital customer channels. The evolving end-user mosaic adds competitive richness and underpins long-run resilience for the Romania renewable energy market.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Dobrogea remains the fulcrum of Romanian onshore wind, hosting 30% of the national capacity and maintaining average capacity factors above 32% despite curtailments. Transmission reinforcements slated for 2026 will unlock a second wave of developments and lift the Romania renewable energy market size in the region. Southern Oltenia attracts utility-scale solar developers thanks to high irradiation, flat terrain, and grid nodes vacated by coal closures. Gorj and Hunedoara counties alone offer more than 1.5 GW of shovel-ready sites, with Just Transition funds helping to cushion the social impacts.

The Carpathian Mountains remain the heartland of hydropower, supporting multi-decadal plants that anchor base generation. Refurbishment projects, including turbine upgrades at Vidraru, aim to restore lost efficiency and expand peaking ability. The Western Banat and Crișana regions are leveraging agro-biomass resources to pilot combined heat-and-power plants that feed green district-heating loops. Meanwhile, geothermal reservoirs near Oradea supply 150 MWth of thermal capacity, seeding potential electricity projects beyond 2028.^{(5)Just Transition Fund Romania, “Regional Redevelopment Allocations,” gov.ro}

Constanța County is at the center of the emergent offshore-wind supply chain, offering deep-draft Port of Constanța facilities for staging jackets and turbine nacelles. Proximity to Bulgarian and Turkish waters fosters cross-border collaborations, positioning Romania as a Black Sea fabrication hub. Enhanced cross-border interconnectors with Hungary and Bulgaria elevate export opportunities, allowing surplus wind and solar to arbitrage price spreads, thereby amplifying revenue stacking for investors in the Romania renewable energy market.