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The European Green Deal

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The European Green Deal The European Green Deal Decarbonizing the Romanian energy sector though renewables April 2021 Contents Chapter Title Page Foreword 03 China vs. USA: a battle for decarbonization? 04 Europe’s path towards fighting climate change: The Green Deal 07 Romania’s energy market and the Green Deal 11 Low-carbon energy transition in Romania: private & public initiatives 14 What should Romania do in order to achieve Green Deal targets and 18 thrive in the renewables arena? Project team 20 About this report The support framework offered by the European Green Deal is a key driver for the transition to low emission energy industries across the European Union. The level of investments in the area of renewable energy in Romania will depend on appropriate regulations and governmental support and a perfect synchronization with current business intentions. The report analyzes current trends on the Romanian energy market, as well as other energy sector developments within large economies that reflect the importance of renewable energy adoption across the globe for a timely and appropriate response to climate change. Foreword Climate change has become a central topic on everyone’s agenda, private Nevertheless, climate change or public actors, illustrating the negationism, populism and low scientists’ concerns on the impact of adoption of renewables in some economic activities on the countries have undermined the environment. While many large efforts made so far in terms of companies across the globe have decarbonization and fighting climate expressed their commitment to a change. more sustainable world, COVID-19 has shown the vulnerabilities of the The decarbonization of Romania’s business environment. energy sector relies largely on the support framework of the European The health crisis has amplified Green Deal. The potential of concerns on climate change and renewable energy in the market can drawn more attention towards the prove to be the key driver for the rise of sustainability and decarbonization of the Romanian environmental protection across the energy sector, as long as public globe. The need for decarbonization initiatives synchronize with business has generated changes in global intentions. strategies of governments and companies in terms of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources across the globe. The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the 3 Romanian energy sector though renewables China vs. USA: a battle for decarbonization? 4 The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the Romanian energy sector though renewables Leaders of the world dealing with climate change The leading economies of the world in terms of adopting renewable energy are, paradoxically, the largest polluters of the world: China, followed by the United States. China is the world's leading country in electricity from clean energy sources, accounting for 28.7% of global wind generation and 31.9% of global solar generation. US is the second largest producer from both wind and solar, accounting for 21.7% of global wind generation and 14.7% of global solar generation (2018 data). In recent years, China has manifested its desire to invest in green energy infrastructure and has shown this commitment by doubling its new renewable capacity in 2020. Nevertheless, energy demand in these two major economies remains highly dependent on fossil fuels. Figure 1: Solar PV electricity generation (in TWh) 200.0 176.9 180.0 160.0 140.0 120.0 100.0 81.2 80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 1.7 0.0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2018 China US Romania Source: International Energy Agency The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the 5 Romanian energy sector though renewables For the United States, the last 4 energy economy and reaches net- years have been more complicated, zero emissions no later than 2050 marked by Trump’s presidency, a and reduce the carbon of US building climate change skeptic. During his stock with 50% by 2035. mandate, he has withdrawn the United Stated from the Paris Climate On April 22, Earth Day, the United Agreement, key legally binding States will host a Climate Summit, international treaty on climate where the leaders of the major change and has prioritized economic polluting nations of the world will growth over reduction of CO2 discuss about ambitious pledges in emissions, claiming environmental terms of decarbonization. regulations could harm millions of jobs. Nevertheless, putting promises into actions, more precisely into After 4 years of zero-climate action, legislation and regulations may American citizens have turned to a prove be harder than it seems, with very different leader, who has been a divided Congress and additionally, outspoken about the importance of the lobbying influence of big fossil protecting the environment. On day fuels corporations. China and the 1 of his presidency, Biden rejoined United States will ultimately play the the Paris Climate Agreement, largest role in the global fight revoked the permit for a new oil against climate change. pipeline system and vowed to ensure the U.S. achieves a 100% clean The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the 6 Romanian energy sector though renewables Europe’s path towards fighting climate change: The Green Deal 7 The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the Romanian energy sector though renewables EU’s journey to climate neutrality Climate neutrality has also been defined as a 2050 target for the EU, a desideratum stipulated within the Green Deal framework, a legal commitment which includes a set of initiatives that aims to smoothen Europe’s transition towards a clean, circular economy through efficient use of resources, restauration of biodiversity and cutting pollution in all forms. The implementation of the deal tackles One of the main ways through which various such as innovating agriculture, the European Commission aims investing in hydrogen for energy to achieve climate neutrality is purposes, renovation of building stock, decarbonizing the energy sector. offshore energy, minimizing current Arguably, carbon trading or carbon pollution and various forms of offsetting/reduction projects represent sustainable investment. short-term solutions to a pressing problem. According to the European By 2030, the European Comission Comission, 75% of the EU’s proposed the greenhouse gases greenhouse gas emissions come from reductions to be at least 55% com- the production and use of energy pared with 1990 levels. across economic sectors. As part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission proposed in September 2020 to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, including emissions and removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990 8 The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the Romanian energy sector though renewables Several funding mechanisms have been put in place for decarbonizing the energy sector to support the targets set within the deal: 1. The Recovery and Resilience addresses energy efficiency Facility, a framework that will projects. Private companies, make €672.5 billion in loans and public entities and other types of grants available to support organizations can attract between reforms and investments within 70% and 100% non-reimbursable member countries. 37% of funding for investments in expenditure is set to be directed modernizing the power sector towards climate investments and and wider energy systems reforms. starting 2021. 2. The Just Transition Mechanism, 5. The 10 bln. euro Innovation Fund key driver of the European Green focuses on investments in highly Deal, mobilizing 150 billion EUR innovative technologies that can for the next 8 years (2021-2027) bring on significant emission through a common fund (Just reductions. Companies, public Transition Fund), an transition entities and international scheme ( InvestEU "Just organizations have the Transition" scheme with €30 opportunity to obtain up to 60% billion as investments) and an EIB of the costs linked to innovation public sector loan scheme for such projects. (backed by €1.5 billion of the EU budget, mobilizing up to €30 6. Connecting Europe Facility aims billion of investments) to facilitate decarbonization and interoperability of networks 3. The EU renewable energy across borders and sectors. Legal financing mechanism, where the entities can secure up to 50% (or private sector can play an 75% under specific conditions) of important role in developing the costs related to investments renewable energy projects for in the energy transport area and national energy markets cross-border renewable energy projects. 4. The Modernization Fund 9 The European Green Deal: Decarbonizing the Romanian energy sector though renewables In order to effectively fight climate affected countries by this transition. change. EU’s leadership has concluded that the power sector As part of the European Green Deal, should be comprised of mostly the top beneficiaries of the Just renewable sources. On the long- Transition Mechanism are Poland, term, the goal for member states is Germany and Romania, considering to ultimately eliminate coal and their high dependency on fossil fuels other fossil fuels from their energy for the energy consumption. mix. EU’s vision on the power sector Romania will be able to access as is based largely on energy efficiency much as 4.45 billion EUR as part of and renewable energy, while the deal this mechanism, which promises to also tackles important issues such as support the transition towards low- decarbonizing gas, energy carbon energy and also improve affordability, as well as market energy infrastructure and create new integration, interconnectivity and jobs within the green economy digitalization. The EU’s plan to spectrum. become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050 was adopted by The three Ds that all energy experts the European Council at the end of are talking: decarbonization, 2019, with an opt-out from Poland. digitalization, decentralization should be the driving forces to the In terms of decarbonization and new energy world at global level and investing in zero/low-emissions for the entire European Economic energy solutions, the EU’s target for Area, while the energy business the share of renewable energy in sector is set to play a huge role in gross final consumption by 2030 is this transformation, along with 32%.
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