Business Forum • 6 February, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Romania could see an unprecedented surge in the photovoltaic sector in 2025, boosted by funding programs such as Casa Verde and RePower EU, the liberalization of energy prices, and the general increased interest of Romanians in getting rid of the worry about bills and becoming energy independent.
In addition, Romania is increasingly attractive to investors in photovoltaic parks. However, this accelerated growth brings to the fore a critical issue: the severe shortage of energy storage capacities, a major obstacle for the entire national energy sector, warns Kilowat, a green energy solutions company.
Romanians rely on photovoltaic plants as energy prices rise
Romanians are increasingly interested in photovoltaic power plants, either on their own or through subsidized programs. The Casa Verde program contributes significantly to the expansion of green energy in Romania and, therefore, to the decrease in energy prices over time. With the elimination of the energy price cap, scheduled for April 1, more and more Romanians are turning to photovoltaic power plants to reduce their costs and ensure their energy independence. The continuous increase in electricity tariffs has accelerated the interest in renewable energy solutions, especially in the residential sector, where solar panels are becoming a strategic and efficient long-term investment.
The cap on energy prices will be eliminated for most Romanians, with only disadvantaged people being taken into account for discounts, especially since the state has 8 billion lei in arrears with energy suppliers to offset energy bills.
"2025 is strongly influenced by the available funding, which keeps the photovoltaic field in a significant boost. Programs such as Casa Verde, RePower EU, and ElectricUp 2 generate a higher volume of projects compared to 2024, with more and more customers understanding how important it is to work with established installers, with installers with extensive experience, who will be around in 15-20 years."
However, what will truly define the market is the decision to continue capping energy prices. In this context, the demand for photovoltaic plants will probably be much higher, but with the increase in demand, panel prices will also increase, and it is recommended that Romanians install solar panels while prices are still affordable. Overall, I expect a better year than the previous ones, but not without challenges. We are already seeing how companies are becoming aware of the need to reduce energy costs and become energy independent, and this is reflected in the increased interest in the Electric UP and AFIR programs”, says Albert Soare, founder of Kilowat.
2025, technological advance in energy storage batteries
One of the biggest challenges for Romania in 2025 is the limited energy storage capacity. Although the photovoltaic sector is booming, energy storage capacity lags, affecting the efficiency and stability of the grid. Lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are becoming the dominant solution in the residential sector, offering a safer and more efficient alternative to lithium-ion batteries, and reducing the risk of fires.
"We expect a technological leap in storage batteries in 2025 and a decrease in prices. Storage is becoming the most important issue and is also the chapter in which Romania is deficient, but is fighting hard to solve this deficit. The entire green energy sector depends on this interconnectivity made with storage batteries. And in the residential sector, it is seen that at the moment lithium-iron-phosphate batteries are becoming increasingly used, being a more efficient and much safer technology than lithium-ion regarding the possibility of fires", explains Albert Soare, founder of Kilowat.
To support this transition, Kilowat introduces the most advanced energy storage and conversion technologies to the Romanian market, including Livoltek inverters. Also, ENPHASE microinverters and batteries, produced in the USA and developed with the contribution of Romanian inventor Nelu Mihai from Silicon Valley, revolutionized the way solar energy is converted and used. These microinverters allow the direct production of alternating current (AC), eliminating the risks associated with conversion and increasing efficiency.
There are also changes and new developments in the field of wind power plants. We will see mixed wind capacities.
Overall, Romania continues to implement the transition to green energy very well. As for large installations, Romania remains very attractive to investors and new photovoltaic parks can be put into operation. Therefore, this year the photovoltaic field is experiencing new growth, especially given the high interest of Romanians in getting rid of the worry about energy bills.
In recent years, Kilowat has installed solar panels for over 3,000 individual and corporate clients, of which over 2,000 are through the Casa Verde program. For Casa Verde 2024, the company estimates an increase in the number of projects managed. In parallel, the company installs photovoltaic panels for individuals who opt for green energy from their own funds and for companies both through the Electric UP program and through financing from other sources.
Founded by the founders of SanoVita, Kilowat is one of the largest renewable energy solutions companies in Romania. With a team of specialists in consulting and installation of solar systems, the company offers complete solutions from the sale of photovoltaic systems to the installation of solar panels and energy storage batteries and post-installation consulting and maintenance of photovoltaic systems. To date, Kilowat has installed photovoltaic systems for over 3,000 customers in Romania and Germany.
The company has ANRE authorization for medium voltage design and installation, as well as installer authorization for the Huawei, Deye, Livoltek, Growatt, Sungrow, etc. range and collaborates with authorized suppliers of metal supports (K2 Germania, Aerocompact, Grup Simex).
Kilowat offers assistance for online monitoring of the photovoltaic system, tracking and optimizing the system through updates and adapted parameterization, with technical settings adjusted for maximum efficiency, and also having a dedicated after-sales assistance service, thus ensuring all the support necessary for ideal operation in the medium and long term.