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ANRE grants permits to build two photovoltaic projects, wind farm
The Regulatory Committee of the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) green-lighted on April 29 the granting of permits to build two new photovoltaic projects and a wind farm, according to a document posted on the institution's website.
Moreover, three photovoltaic projects, two small hydropower plants and a high-efficiency biomass-powered cogeneration plant have been accredited for the application of the promotion system through green certificates.
The projects for producing renewable energy reached a total capacity of 4,582 MW at end-February 2014, by 170 MW more than in late January, according to Transelectrica data.
There were in the system wind projects of 2,792 MW, solar parks with a total capacity of 1,149 MW, small hydro-power plants of 542 MW and biomass projects with a cumulative capacity of 99 MW.
On January 31, 2014, renewable energy production capacities of 4,412 MW were installed in the system. Renewable energy producers receive subsidies in the form of green certificates, which all consumers pay, including the household ones, and which are written separately in monthly electricity bill.
Romania has assumed that 24% of the end gross consumption of energy in 2020 should come from renewable sources, but the ANRE has announced that this target was already reached on January 1, 2014. Thus, for 2014, the compulsory share of purchasing green energy remained at 11.1%, as it was in 2013, compared to 15 %, as it should have been this year.
To limit the increase in bills, the Government decided, on July 1, 2013, to postpone for 2017-2020 the granting of a number of green certificates.
According to Government Emergency Ordinance No.57/2013, photovoltaic projects receive only four green certificates per MWh, compared to six certificates, as it was before July 1, 2013. Wind projects benefit from only one certificate of two, two small hydropower plants benefit from two certificates of three.
Additionally, the new projects that enter the system after January 1, 2014 receive from the beginning fewer subsidies. According to the Government Decision No. 994/2013 of December 2013, the new photovoltaic parks receive only half the subsidies so far, three certificates from six respectively. In the case of wind farms, the number of certificates is reduced by 0.5 until 2017 and by 0.25 as of 2018. As such, new investors will receive only 1.5 green certificates until 2017 and 1.75 certificates as of 2018.
Also, small hydropower plants receive by 0.7% fewer green certificates per MWh, only 2.3 certificates for the new plants respectively.