Clean Energy Developments and Perspectives in Romania

Pollution has long been a topic of great interest in a wide range of fields and has thus received considerable critical attention. However, there remains an urgent need to address the complex issues linked to pollution. Studies were conducted in order to identify and understand the major factors implied and numerous searches indicate electric energy generation as being the main contributor. Global trends outline the importance of alternative, non-pollutant sources of energy in conserving the environment and in assuring a healthier world. But pollution is a world-wide problem and is very difficult to point out just one factor based on the idea that more people require more amounts of energy, human activity being almost neglected. An analysis is conducted for Romania, whose efforts have been notable in reducing coal and gas as sources of energy (conventional) in favour of using renewables, where pollution is still a hindrance. Air quality, determined by both gaseous components and solid particle matter, United Nations Environment Programme Regulating Air Quality (2021), still shows medium/moderate values in the context of reducing pollution coming from conventional sources. Other factors must be implicated which relate to human activity and are not so easy, sometimes impossible, to quantify but when summed up complete the landscape on pollution with more stringent point of views. LCOE cost has been analysed for the current sources of energy that reveal the necessity of future investments into the renewable sector along with a gradual diminishing of the traditional sources. An overview is presented on the usage of energy revealing the share of renewables and fossil sources as well as highlighting a not so obvious aspect of an aging electric grid that will need enhancements. GDP should not be expected to rise sharply with increasing of RES instead an increase may come from other fields that would show increased productivity against the backdrop of lower energy prices.