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

Romania Solar Energy Market Trends and Insights

EU-funded renewable stimulus (RRF)

Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan allocates EUR 2.8 billion to renewables, with an additional EUR 400 million from the Modernisation Fund dedicated to solar and wind energy. Contracts already cover 831 public-sector PV projects, totaling 296.76 MW, and are backed by €367.6 million in grants.^{(1)Newsweek Romania, “Fabrica de soare a României: 831 de proiecte…,” newsweek.ro}These programs remove capital-cost barriers, target 3 GW of new capacity by 2026, and stimulate private co-investment that multiplies public outlays. Spillover estimates imply each public euro attracts roughly 1.1 euros of private spending EIB.ORG. The model also scales installer skills and supply-chain depth, accelerating subsequent commercial and residential solar uptake.

Supportive feed-in premiums & green certificates

The dual incentive framework combines feed-in premiums with tradable green certificates, offering stable income streams that enhance the bankability of installations up to 400 kW. Streamlined ANRE rules reduce permitting times and transaction costs, allowing small systems to monetize surplus power while enjoying premium tariffs. Although Emergency Ordinance 20/2025 removes certificate obligations for major industrial buyers, it steers those consumers toward direct solar procurement, preserving demand for new rooftop and ground-mounted plants. The blended policy approach reduces financing spreads relative to full merchant exposure.

Corporate PPA demand surge

Long-term solar PPAs are now a preferred hedge for manufacturers facing volatile wholesale prices. DRI-OMV Petrom signed a 100 GWh annual physical delivery contract, the country’s largest corporate renewable energy agreement, setting price discovery benchmarks for future deals.^{(2)European Investment Bank, “Investment Report 2023/2024,” eib.org Source: Green-Forum, “nextE,” green-forum.eu} Independent power producers are building plants expressly around such agreements, while Emergency Ordinance 143/2021 lifted bilateral-trading restrictions and simplified risk-sharing structures. Daytime PV production coincides with industrial load profiles, making solar PPAs more attractive than wind for certain sectors.

Declining LCOE of solar PV

Module prices fell by about 60% between 2022 and 2024, enabling Romanian projects to secure CfD strike prices near EUR 51/MWh—already under fossil-fuel benchmarks. Domestic manufacturing is emerging through a 1.5 GW-per-year plant, which is receiving EUR 32.92 million in PNRR aid.^{(3)TaiyangNews, “Government Backs 1.5 GW Solar Module Production…,” taiyangnews.info} Lower capex, better module efficiency, and cheaper debt combine to keep the Romania solar energy market on a steep growth path despite maturing incentives.

Lengthy grid-connection permitting

Transelectrica’s application backlog tops 31.74 GW, stretching approval times beyond 12 months and inflating carrying costs. Planned auction-based capacity allocation from 2026 may prioritize shovel-ready assets, yet network reinforcements remain critical, especially in solar-rich south-east counties.^{(4)Profit.ro, “Panouri solare flotante…,” profit.ro}Delays compress developers’ CfD windows and raise execution risk.

Competition from on-shore wind repowering

Recent CfD auctions saw wind bids at EUR 65/MWh compared to solar’s EUR 51/MWh, supporting 1.1 GW of repowering versus 432 MW of new PV. Established wind farms have existing grid ties and faster permitting, prompting developers to chase repower premiums that may outcompete greenfield solar on prime sites. Solar operators answer with hybrid PV-storage concepts that raise capacity factors and grid-service revenues.

Segment Analysis

By Technology: Solar PV Dominates Through Cost Leadership

Solar PV accounted for the entire Romania solar energy market share in 2024, underscoring the absence of CSP due to modest direct normal irradiance and higher capital intensity. The Romania solar energy market size for PV is projected to grow at a 14.7% CAGR to 2030, propelled by rooftop incentives and utility-scale CfDs. Local module plants with a total annual output of 1.779 GW are eligible for Net-Zero Industry Act procurement bonuses, thereby improving domestic content competitiveness.

Romanian solar energy market developers are increasingly integrating battery storage and tracker systems to enhance capacity factors and secure grid-service revenue. Manufacturing localization lowers logistics costs and de-risks supply chains amid global trade tensions. CSP remains sidelined due to uneconomical LCOE relative to PV plus storage.

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

By Grid Type: Off-Grid Surge Driven by Rural Electrification

On-grid plants represented 95.6% of the 2024 capacity, a share expected to remain above 90% through 2030, as CfD auctions favor utility-connected projects. The Romania solar energy market size for on-grid systems benefits from €56.2 million earmarked for transmission upgrades. Distributed automation and smart meters help networks absorb rising daytime injections, lowering curtailment.

Off-grid capacity, although modest, is projected to grow at a 21.5% CAGR through 2030, driven by agrivoltaics and rural microgrid pilots. Emergency Ordinance 134/2024 removed double taxation on batteries, enabling solar-plus-storage packages that replace diesel gensets for farms and telecom towers. These solutions unlock energy access and cost savings where grid extensions are uneconomic.

By End-User: Residential Segment Accelerates Through Prosumer Growth

Utility-scale parks held 57.5% of the Romania solar energy market share in 2024, favored by CfDs and economies of scale. Projects such as the 155 MW Rătești plant illustrate improvements in bankability due to a predictable offtake. The segment retains volume leadership, though its growth rate moderates as the base expands.

Residential systems post the fastest 18.8% CAGR to 2030, catalyzed by financing aimed at homeowner associations that mandates ≥10 kWp PV plus storage sized at ≥50% of array capacity.^{(5) Ministerul Energiei, “Proiect de ORDONANȚĂ DE URGENȚĂ…,” energie.gov.ro} Net-metering and simplified 400 kW licensing also spur commercial rooftops. Corporate PPAs provide support for behind-the-meter C&I arrays that reduce grid charges and carbon liabilities.

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

Geography Analysis

Southern counties, such as Constanța, Călărași, and Giurgiu, host the bulk of utility-scale pipelines due to their 1,900-2,400 annual sunshine hours and flat topography, which eases construction. Projects pair PV with wind and storage to optimize grid usage. Western industrial clusters favor on-site C&I arrays that align generation with daytime loads, trimming power bills and Scope 2 emissions.

Bucharest’s metropolitan area leads rooftop deployment. Higher retail tariffs and municipal incentives accelerate the uptake of prosumer systems in apartment blocks, while abundant installation capacity shortens project cycles. Smart-meter penetration supports granular billing and flexible tariffs.

Northern and mountainous zones utilize distributed PV to supplement hydroelectric and biomass energy sources. Agrivoltaic pilots in high-value horticultural regions protect revenue diversity amid climate risks, ensuring that solar deployment extends beyond resource-rich south-east corridors.