The present report analyses the status, challenges, and opportunities for energy storage in Romania, focusing on technological, regulatory, financial, and business aspects. It emphasizes the urgent need to accelerate storage deployment in parallel with the expansion of renewable energy sources (RES) and proposes policy measures to support this effort.
A review of available technologies is provided, with focus on pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), lithium-ion batteries, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G). PHES remains the most mature and cost-efficient solution for large-scale, long-duration storage but faces environmental and geographic barriers.
Lithium-ion batteries, whose costs have declined significantly, offer rapid response for short-and medium-term applications. V2G, though still emerging, could transform Romania’s growing electric vehicle fleet into a valuable distributed storage
resource.
Storage’s role in supporting grid ancillary services – including frequency regulation, voltage control, congestion management, and black start – is highlighted, along with its potential to complement or replace conventional generation. International case studies showcase proven integration of batteries and PHES in stabilizing renewable-heavy systems.
Despite its potential, Romania’s installed total storage capacity remains low. Barriers include the absence of explicit national targets, regulatory ambiguity, lengthy grid connection approvals, limited funding, and weak market incentives. Investor interest is present but constrained by low project bankability and lack of proven business models.
This report recommends strategic alignment of Romania’s energy strategy with the EU objectives, adoption of clear storage targets, and policies supportive of storage deployment. It proposes regulatory reforms, streamlined approvals, support schemes such as capacity markets, contracts for difference, and the use of EU funding. Additionally, pilot projects and incentives for emerging solutions like V2G are encouraged to diversify the storage mix.
Romania’s decarbonisation path, energy security, and investment attractiveness hinge on the rapid and diversified deployment of energy storage. A favourable and coherent policy framework will likely turn storage into a cornerstone of the country’s clean energy transition.
Radu Cîrligeanu, EPG Senior Researcher
Radu works as a Senior Researcher in the Energy Systems Department of EPG, focusing on the role of hydrogen in the energy mix.
Radu is an aerospace engineer, specialized in propulsion. He holds an MSc. degree from Cranfield University (UK) in Thermal Power, with a focus on aircraft propulsion.
He has more than ten years of experience in the field of aerospace engineering. He worked as gas turbine performance engineer at Rolls-Royce, in the UK, both for civil and military applications. He also acquired experience in the development of novel thermal and hybrid propulsive cycles at Safran Tech, the R&D department of Safran, in Paris.
Radu is convinced that the solution to developing a more sustainable society is not novel technology, but its development and implementation greatly speeds up the process.
Contact: radu.cîrligeanu@epg-thinktank.org