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OX2 completes 99 MW wind farm in Romania, starts building another – for clients

Sweden-based OX2 installed the last turbine at Nala Renewables’ Green Breeze wind farm in Romania as the contractor for its former project. Earlier it launched the construction of the Ansthall Green Energy facility of 96 MW for HELLENiQ Energy, under a similar arrangement. The company has also bought three wind power projects in Romania, totaling 235 MW.

OX2 Romania, a subsidiary of Swedish OX2, completed the last wind turbine at the Green Breeze facility of 99.2 MW. Construction started just over one year ago. The company sold the project last year to Nala Renewables, but stayed on as a contractor.

It was the first project in the country for OX2, which entered it four years ago. The facility is in Galați county in eastern Romania. The Sweden-based firm will also be tasked with operating the wind park, consisting of 16 Vestas V162-6.2 MW machines.

The forecasted annual output is 312 GWh. It is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 51,000 Romanian households.

Nala Renewables claimed that Green Breeze would lower carbon dioxide emissions by 150,000 tons per year, per the United Nations Climate Change IFI Default Grid Factors. IFI stands for international financial institutions.

Apple recently expressed interest in buying electricity from Green Breeze under a long-term virtual power purchase agreement or vPPA.

Project pipeline in Romania expands by 235 MW

Earlier this month, OX2 said it acquired three wind power projects in Romania totalling 235 MW from Future Power. The sites are in Vaslui and Vrancea counties. OX2 boosted its portfolio in the country to more than 1.1 GW with the transaction.

It expects to commission the three facilities between 2028 and 2030, subject to permitting. OX2 also continues to develop additional wind projects in regions with strong wind resources including Constanța, Brăila and Galați.

The company has nine onshore wind projects under­ construction in Romania, 195 MW overall, and 766 MW in development, as well as 150 MW in solar and battery storage projects.

OX2 breaks ground for Ansthall wind farm after selling it to HELLENiQ Energy in August

Within an arrangement similar to the one with Nala Renewables, OX2 started building the Ansthall Green Energy wind farm of 96 MW in November. It is located in Galaţi, in the communes Scânteiesti, Fârţăneşti, Cuca, Schela, Cuza-Vodă, Pechea, Rediu and Slobozia-Conachi.

The wind farm is set to feature 15 Vestas V162 turbines of 6.4 MW, the largest in Romania so far. Rezolv Energy is installing the same kind in its giant project Vifor in Buzău.

HELLENiQ Renewables Romania, operating under HELLENiQ Energy, acquired the project from OX2 in August. The Greek company expects to put the facility into operation in 2027.

Total annual output is estimated at 309 GWh, equivalent to the electricity needs of 89,000 domestic households.

Earlier, OX2 signed a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement (PPA) with Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize, for 158 GWh per year. The future offtaker operates supermarket chains.

Headquartered in Stockholm, OX2 is owned by EQT, one of the world’s largest private equity firms.

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Quota surpassed at Romania’s bonus wind power auction

Romania apparently achieved moderately lower prices at its additional wind power auction for contracts for difference (CfDs) than in the regular round. According to a media report, nine bids were approved, for seven proposed facilities, and the winners include OX2, Qair and Zen Energy Group.

All wind farm projects in Romania that obtained the right to state support at the latest renewable electricity auction need to be completed by 2028. The Ministry of Energy and transmission system operator Transelectrica have approved 315.8 MW, compared to the targeted minimum of 290 MW, Economica.net learned.

The bonus round was organized because of a weak turnout in the regular, second wind power auction. Winners are eligible for 15-year CfDs, in a EUR 3 billion scheme covered via the European Union’s Modernisation Fund.

According to the report, the prices were also more favorable for the government than in the previous auction: between EUR 59.95 per MWh and EUR 74.9 per MWh, against EUR 65.17 per MWh to EUR 79.5 per MWh. The ceiling was the same, EUR 80 per MWh.

Cheapest two lots are part of same project

Naxxar Wind Energy Project Zenon won two lots, at 64.8 MW each, for the same project – Tudor Vladimirescu in Brăila county, northeast of Bucharest. The strike prices are EUR 59.95 per MWh and EUR 61.05 per MWh.

Owners of the special purpose vehicle are Renewable Investors and Kaizer Gerhard, an individual, both from Germany.

Aukera Project Company Beta has won a CfD contract for 27.2 MW in the proposed Făurei wind farm. The price is EUR 67.12 per MWh. It is owned by AtlasInvest, headquartered in Belgium.

In Romania, it is working on the projects for the Delesti wind farm in Vaslui county and the Gura Ialomiței storage facility in Ialomița. The battery would have 250 MW in operating power and a capacity of 500 MWh.

The first phase, of 300 MWh, is under construction. The company obtained a EUR 9.9 million grant last year through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP or, in Romanian, PNRR) and signed a loan facility of EUR 60 million with Kommunalkredit Austria for the storage system.

OX2 wins CfDs for additional capacity for its future wind farms

Brăila Green Energy qualified for 12.4 MW of its Urleasca wind power project, at EUR 69.86 per MWh. The firm is controlled by OX2, which already won a CfD for a part of the same future facility.

The Sweden-based company also snatched 25.6 MW for its Cerchezu project. It is another winner from the previous round. This time, the South Wind subsidiary secured a contract at EUR 74.49 per MWh.

Clever Power has obtained 21 MW and 14 MW by bidding EUR 69.88 per MWh and EUR 72.92 per MWh, respectively. Both lots are for the same project: Falciu wind farm, envisaged to include storage. The company is controlled by Romanian investor Barbu Cristian, the article adds, citing a businesses registry.

AZ Market Construction won just 8 MW for its Bordei Verde wind project. It is eligible for EUR 74.74 per MWh. The firm is owned by France-based Qair.

Traian Energy, a subsidiary of Zen Energy Group from Luxembourg, is getting the highest price from the bonus round. The wind park would receive EUR 74.9 per MWh for the entire 78 MW.

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Romania completes second round of renewable energy auctions – third of wind quota unallocated

Companies that participated in the second round of auctions in Romania for contracts for difference (CfDs) for wind and solar power projects received the ranking list. The target quota for photovoltaics was slightly surpassed, with 1.49 GW approved. Conversely, only 1.26 GW was allocated in the wind project segment, against the available 2 GW. Average winning prices were EUR 40.35 per MWh and EUR 73.89 per MWh, respectively.

Winners include Rezolv Energy’s Dama Solar, which at 1.04 GW in total would currently be by far the largest PV system in Europe, excluding Turkey.

Romania’s Ministry of Energy and transmission system operator Transelectrica have conducted the country’s second wind and solar power auctions for government support in the form of CfDs. They imply fixed prices for beneficiaries for 15 years. If the producer sells its electricity in the market at a higher price, the government receives the difference. It works the other way around as well. The average winning price for wind power was EUR 73.89 per MWh, compared to EUR 40.35 per MWh for photovoltaics.

There was 2 GW available for wind power projects, but the authorities selected only 1.26 GW, within 23 qualified projects. It means their bids were lower than the ceiling of EUR 80 per MWh. Romanian media learned most of the details, while the official report is yet to be issued.

Rezolv, OX2, OMV Petrom, among winners in wind power segment

In the wind power auction, the participants secured less than two thirds of the quota. There are 23 projects of 21 companies on the list, with 1.26 GW accepted overall of the available 2 GW.

Midmar Callatis passed with the lowest bid, EUR 65.17 per MWh, for the Dunărea East project in Constanța county. The entity, controlled by Rezolv Energy, is eligible for a CfD for 211.2 MW. It is the largest proposed capacity that participated in the auction. The Dunărea East and West project is for 600 MW altogether.

The firm signed the grid connection contract last year. It expects to complete the wind park in 2030, to meet the deadline, like almost all other auction winners in both segments.

OX2 has split its project and won three contracts

The second winner by size is the Cerchezu wind power project. The owner, OX2, has split it into chunks, so 128 MW, 25.6 MW and 25.6 MW earned entry into the market incentives scheme. The special purpose vehicle (SPV), called South Wind, has bid EUR 69.87 per MWh, EUR 74.5 per MWh and EUR 76.5 per MWh, respectively, for a combined capacity of 179.2 MW.

Coming in third in terms of selected capacity, with 111.6 MW, is the future Poiana wind power project. The developer is Green Labs, which operates under Electrocentrale Borzești, part of the Renovatio group, under OMV Petrom.

Through its project firm CEF Pelicanu, Renovatio also won a CfD for 103.7 MW for its Alexandru Odobescu project. It bid EUR 76.9 per MWh.

Winning prices in second wind power auction higher amid demand drop

Ecoener Carpatica’s Miroslovești project in Iași county can sign a contract for 54.4 MW, at a price of EUR 68.75 per MWh. The Urleasca project passed with EUR 71.93 per MWh for 31 MW.

Eurowind Energy’s Cheap Energy Company was successful with a bid of EUR 78.5 per MWh for the Pecineaga Northeast (Nord Est or NordEst) endeavor. It applied for 48 MW.

Engie Romania passed with its Falcon wind power project

Falcon Wind of Engie Romania secured a CfD for 52.4 MW with a price of EUR 72.7 per MWh. It was the first under the line in the first round, with a bid that was EUR 5 higher. The location is in Mereni in Constanța county.

The accepted prices in the wind power auction are between EUR 65.17 per MWh and EUR 79.5 per MWh, compared to a range of EUR 54.59 per MWh to EUR 77.33 per MWh in the first round.

Accepted bids for solar power projects significantly lower than in first round

Conversely, solar power prices were much lower than last time. They landed at EUR 35.77 per MWh to EUR 45.2 per MWh, against a range of EUR 45.05 per MWh to EUR 54.19 per MWh in December. This time, the ceiling was EUR 73 per MWh. The commission accepted 26 bids of 1.49 GW in total, extending the quota by 16 MW.

The largest capacity, 520 MW, was awarded to special purpose vehicle West Power Investments for its Dama Solar project. It is for 1.04 GW in total peak capacity, which would make it the biggest solar power plant in Europe excluding Turkey. Rezolv Energy developed the project, together with Monsson. It won the incentives through two equal lots, with bids of EUR 42.2 per MWh each, on a rounded basis.

Enery Element gets almost 460 MW for its two PV projects

Other companies also partitioned their projects for the auction. Enery Element won 11 out of the 26 contracts, for its proposed Baboia PV plant, also called Ogrezeni. The bids were between EUR 35.77 per MWh and EUR 42 per MWh.

In the previous round, it failed to make the quota with EUR 56.82 per MWh. The combined capacity is 350.1 MW. According to Economica.net, the developer may have opted for splitting the PV plant to avoid surpassing the 50-hectare threshold per lot. The Ogrezeni project in Giurgiu county is for more than 500 MW overall, the media outlet noted.

The company also succeeded with four lots of its Dumbrava 2 project. Enery Element’s subsidiary Siret Solar Plant has bid EUR 38.76 per MWh to EUR 38.79 per MWh. The combined capacity is 108.6 MW.

Engie Romania is now eligible for a CfD for 170 MW in peak capacity, for its proposed Cornățelu photovoltaic facility. Its bid was the highest on the list, EUR 45.2 per MWh. The site is in Dâmbovița county

Of note, the government has so far signed contracts with 21 firms that won in the first solar and wind power auctions.

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Wind power takes lead in new renewables investment wave in Romania

The rising number of maturing wind power projects and the ones under construction in Romania has highlighted the increasing role of the technology for the country’s energy transition. The recent updates are for three locations in the country’s east.

Investments in wind power in Romania are rebounding from a long lull. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the country hosted nearly 3.1 GW in wind power capacity at the end of 2024. It achieved a peak of 3.24 GW a decade before. Investors are maturing an increasing number of projects or beginning construction, alongside significant acquisition activity.

Together with a wave of investments in battery storage, the wind power segment is making the domestic renewable energy market more balanced. It was dominated by photovoltaics for several years – primarily by the meteoric rise in the number of prosumers. Of note, there were 228,302 at the end of May, operating 2.73 GW in capacity.

New Minister of Energy Bogdan Ivan recently estimated that another 3.2 GW of solar and wind power combined would come online in Romania by the end of 2026.

Wind park of over 250 MW in Ialomița to be completed in 2027

The administration of Ialomița County in the country’s east announced that KKR, its subsidiary Greenvolt and Renovatio would build a wind park of more than 250 MW. It would consist of three power plants in the area around Țăndărei, Gheorghe Lazăr, Grivița and Ograda.

According to the regional authority, the Ialomița wind farm project east of Bucharest is worth more than EUR 400 million. Its completion is expected in 2027.

Greenvolt has won support for more than half of capacity in its Ialomița Nord wind power project at the government’s first wind and solar power auction, through a contract for difference (CfD). Total investment is for 246.4 MW.

Greek renewables giant to start construction of two wind power plants

HELLENiQ Renewables Romania, operating under Greece-based HELLENiQ Energy, acquired Ansthall Green Energy from OX2. The project firm owns a ready-to-build wind project in Scânteiesti in Galaţi in eastern Romania, with a licensed capacity of 96 MW.

The Greek parent company said construction is starting immediately through a deal with OX2 Construction. It expects to put the facility into operation in 2027.

It has a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement (PPA) with Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize, for 158 GWh per year. The company operates supermarket chains. Total annual output is estimated at 309 GWh.

HELLENiQ Energy revealed that it has bought two ready-to-build projects of 282 MW in total

HELLENiQ Energy’s Romanian company also signed a contract to take over Helios and Wind Energy, a special purpose vehicle owning a ready-to-build wind project in the nearby Vaslui region. The licensed capacity is 186 MW and there is an option to add a battery energy storage system (BESS). It would have 186 MW in operational power as well and a duration of one hour, translating to 186 MWh.

Regulators in Romania must approve the agreement before the transaction.

In addition, the company completed the purchase of a ready-to-build PV project of 123 MW in peak capacity. The location is in Haskovo region in southern Bulgaria, which marks HELLENiQ’s entry into the country. The solar power plant can include a BESS facility of 90 MW and 180 MWh.

The company previously known as Hellenic Petroleum (HELPE) intends to start the construction of two BESS in its home market. They would have 50 MW and 200 MWh altogether. The two endeavors in Florina were among the winners in the third auction for battery storage in Greece.

Turkish company, Romanian footbal star’s daughter advance joint project

The third recent update is for one of the biggest planned wind farms in Romania, also in the east. The location for the Dăeni project is in Tulcea county. It has received the grid connection approval from Transelectrica and an environmental permit from the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA or, in Romanian, ANPM).

Project documentation for the wind power plant of 56 turbines of 7.2 MW each shows the facility should be commissioned by the end of 2031, Profit.ro reported. It translates to 403.2 MW in nominal capacity. Dăeni would have a connection to the transmission grid of over 394 MW.

Oxigen Delta is 50% owned by a subsidiary of Turkey-based Sanko Enerji

The developer is Oxigen Delta, in which 50% is owned by a subsidiary of Turkey-based Sanko Enerji, part of Sanko Holding. Milana-Maria Ilie, daughter of famous former Romanian football player Adrian Ilie, is among the main shareholders, the article adds. The investment was valued at some EUR 800 million last year.

Eximprod, which installed the first wind turbine in Romania more than two decades ago, has delivered the first megawatt-hours to the grid from its new wind farm in the country’s east. Rezolv secured a financing package for the second phase of its giant Vifor wind farm in Buzău county

Eurowind Energy built the turbines earlier this year at its Pecineaga wind park. Greece-based Public Power Corp. (PPC) is supposed to connect its Deleni facility to the grid before the end of the year.

OX2 is constructing the Green Breeze wind farm as the turnkey contractor for the investor, Nala Renewables.

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Foreign renewable energy investors remain committed to Romania as large plants coming online

Renewable energy companies from abroad aren’t intimidated by negative power prices in Romania, especially with the battery storage segment accelerating. Energy giants EDP Renewables and Engie have new solar power plants, and more renewable energy facilities are coming online, while the government is disbursing European grants.

The renewable energy market in Greece is consolidating and a number of foreign investors are leaving, but some other countries in the region that Balkan Green Energy News tracks remain attractive, especially Romania and Turkey. Big names from abroad keep coming, and the established ones are commissioning facilities and committing to more projects.

Like elsewhere in Europe and beyond, the increasing occurrence of low, zero and negative power prices are impacting the sentiment in Romania. But funding from the European Union, the government’s administrative support, renewable energy auctions and bets on battery storage seemingly outweigh the current risks.

EDPR’s new photovoltaic park Albina will generate 67 GWh per year

EDP Renewables (EDPR), subsidiary of Portuguese energy giant EDP, recently inaugurated its Albina photovoltaic plant. Located in western Romania, just outside of the city of Timisoara, the renewable energy unit came online late last year.

Albina has 60 MW in peak capacity and a 48.8 MW grid connection. The company expects it to generate 67 GWh per year. EDP said that with the new plant it reinforces its commitment to Romania. It operates wind and solar power plants in the country of over 570 MW in combined capacity.

Engie praises renewable energy potential in Romania

Engie Romania commissioned the sixth photovoltaic park in its portfolio. It is located in the commune of Ariceștii Rahtivani in Prahova county. Together with the new facility, of 37.2 MW in peak capacity, French Engie’s branch in Romania now has 248 MW in renewable energy in operation.

The site covers ​​57 hectares. Estimated annual output is 57 GWh. The firm owns three wind farms of 178 MW in total while its six PV systems have 70.3 MW in overall peak capacity. Last year it built one of the first hybrid power plants in the country.

Engie Romania said the new plant strengthened its position and praised the country’s “significant potential” in the renewable energy segment. The firm targets 1 GW in the country by 2030. It also distributes natural gas and supplies both gas and electricity, and offers energy services.

Rezolv building one of largest wind power plants in Europe

The Vifor wind farm in Buzău county, northeast of Bucharest, is almost half done. Rezolv Energy plans to finish it in 2027. The first phase is for 192 MW, with a planned expansion to a colossal 461 MW.

The company purchased Vestas turbines for the wind park, which is set to become the largest in Europe and the second-largest in Romania. The developer won a fixed electricity price for 15 years in the form of a contract for difference at the country’s renewable energy auction. The wind power plant will also benefit from a power purchase agreement (PPA).

Wind farm of 99.2 MW Galaţi in to launch operations next year

OX2 is building the Green Breeze wind farm, delivering the project as a turnkey construction project for the investor, Nala Renewables. The project involves 16 Vestas V162-6.2 MW turbines, or 99.2 MW altogether. Annual production at the future wind power plant in Galaţi in the eastern part of the country is 312 GWh, according to the estimate.

The facility is on schedule for the start of operations in the first half of next year. Together with Green Breeze, OX2 is working on 620 MW in five wind power projects. The Swedish company has said it intends to grow and diversify in the country.

Enery from Austria lining up renewable electricity plants in Romania

Romania-based Enevo announced that it started building a solar park of 54.2 MW in peak capacity for Enery Development.

Also in Dâmbovița county, Enery Element, the joint venture of the Austrian company with Element Power Group, has a project for a battery-backed PV park.

Total investment is some EUR 27.5 million, of which EUR 2.4 million is from the EU’s Modernisation Fund. The solar power component is 74 MW and the battery energy storage system (BESS) would provide 10.2 MWh in capacity. The location, formally run by project firm Gura Solar Plant, is in the Gura Ocniței commune.

Ecoener, headquartered in Spain, is developing an agrivoltaic project of 11 MW

A Spanish group with an annual turnover of almost EUR 100 million wants to build the first agrisolar park in Iași county, in the commune of Țibănești. Solar panels of 11 MW in total peak capacity would be placed 1.5 meters above ground. The investor, Ecoener, established a Romanian subsidiary for the endeavor: Ecoener Țibănești.

Greece’s PPC turning its wind, PV facilities into hybrid power plants with battery storage

Greek state-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC) is developing a BESS investment through its firm Sun Challenge, which operates the Lumina solar power project in Călugăreni, Giurgiu county. The PV facility of 63 MW in peak capacity has been online for two years now. Lumina is PPC Renewables’ largest solar power unit in Romania.

It is one in a string of the Greek company’s energy storage projects. PPC plans BESS at its wind farms Topolog (27 MWh), Corugea (80 MWh) and Sălbatica (60 MWh) in Tulcea county. It slated another 120 MWh in total storage capacity at wind power plants Nicolae Bălcescu and Târgușor in Constanța county.

PPC operates wind, photovoltaic and hydropower capacity in Romania of 1.3 GW overall

The Fântânele-Cogealac-Gradina wind farm, which PPC took over from Macquarie Asset Management, already includes a BESS facility. The 600 MW facility is the largest in Romania of its kind.

In Prahova, PPC Renewables Romania plans a 10 MWh storage system at the Berceni 1 photovoltaic park, with an installed capacity of 9.8 MW. Another storage system, of 8 MWh, would be integrated with the Colibași photovoltaic park (7 MW) in Giurgiu county.

PPC operates wind, photovoltaic and hydropower capacity in Romania of 1.3 GW overall.

Turkey-based YEO Technologies, Danish company Eurowind Energy and Solarpro, a contractor from neighboring Bulgaria, all have new investment updates, too.