RO minister puts offshore wind projects on the agenda

Romanian dismissed, acting and designated minister of economy and energy, Virgil Popescu, came up with the idea of tapping the offshore wind power and suggested that the state-controlled hydropower group Hidroelectrica, which he called “a green company”, should explore this potential.

“Let's look at the countries in the north of the continent. There are offshore parks in the North Sea, why not try to study in the area of the continental shelf of the Black Sea to have wind farms for electricity production?” the minister said at an energy conference, Economica.net reported.

“There are no studies done so far and I think it's time to start working on this,” he added. Siemens attempted to launch an offshore wind power project in 2010, but Romania’s Government later phased out the incentives for green energy, which discouraged the German group from pursuing it.

All investors have actually shied away from offshore parks in Romania because of the high costs for developing such projects.

Another potential obstacle is that Romania’s continental platform in the Black Sea is rather narrow.

The minimum required distance from the shore at which wind turbines should be installed was another issue not yet tackled at that time by the existing legislation.

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