RenewAcad, a network of training centers in renewable energy, has received a EUR 3.1 million financing from UniCredit Bank to develop the energy storage projects Petrila 1 and Petrila 2. This marks the first stage of an investment program in energy transition and the revitalization of Petrila, a former mining area in Hunedoara county.

The Petrila 1 and Petrila 2 projects have a capacity of 20MWh. The investment should be finalized and connected to the grid in March 2026, the company said.

In addition, RenewAcad plans a EUR 10 million investment at the same location in the spring of 2026. This development phase is expected to create more than 40 new jobs starting in 2027, contributing to the economic revitalization of the area of Petrila.

“Over the next three years, we plan to invest more than EUR 15 million in the area, both in energy projects and in training programs, other than the ones already taking place. Petrila 1 and Petrila 2 are the first step in this direction,” Sebastian Enache, the director of RenewAcad, said.

RenewAcad has six training centers in Bucharest, Buzău, Constanța, Petrila, Rovinari, and Arad, providing vocational training, recruitment, and social integration services for members of local communities involved in renewable energy investments.

Starting this year, the organization undertook expanding its activities into urban regeneration projects and community development in regions undergoing the energy transition, through investments in energy infrastructure and job creation.

simona@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Malpetr/Dreamstime.com)