Romania Halves ‘Generous’ Solar Certificate Allocation for 2014

Romania energy regulator, ANRE released a report
concluding renewable certificates are too generous.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Romania is to halve the green certificates available for new solar developments, according to Romanian financial news wire, Ziarul Financiarul.

The Romanian government approved a decree to halve the renewable certificates awarded to solar generators, from six, to three certificates.

Romania's energy regulator, ANRE, released a report concluding renewable certificates are too generous. Recommendations of the report are to be implemented 1 January 2014.

Currently each MW of energy generated from renewables can be traded for a certificate in Romania with up to six certificates supplied. From January, a limit of three will be awarded.

The changes will not affect existing PV plants, or those affected by the reduction earlier in the year.

Ziarul Financiarul reports billions of euros of renewables investment in Romania, and growth from 1MW in 2009, to 660MW of installed solar in the country. Deployment growth and future investments could now be at risk from the changes.

Wind and hydro certificates are also being decreased.

Reports have hinted that disputes over energy bills are the possible trigger for the ANRE review and subsequent decrease in renewables certificates.

In August the Czech utility ČEZ reported to the European Commission the Romanian government had deferred payments to renewable energy producers, as well as suspending the issue of green energy certificates which renewable energy facilities must have.

Source: http://www.pv-tech.org/news/romania_halves_solar_certificates_for_2014