Rodin Traicu: At 4 million euros per MW installed in biogas there is no profitable investment in Romania

Investments in biogas are not profitable in Romania at a 4 million euro cost per MW installed, Deputy Rodin Traicu, member of the committee on industries and services, said on Thursday.

Deputy Rodin Traicu, member of the Committee on industries and services

"In spite of the relatively acceptable support scheme for biomass and biogas, the sector doesn't stand the chance to develop. Here is where we stand now: at foUr million euros per MW installed in biogas, there is no profitable investment in Romania, regardless of what has been written in the feasibility study. With the market of green certificates declining, not even the very long term sustainability, to give it 15 years, 18 years for recouping the investment, totally unacceptable for banks, makes it attractive," Rodin Traicu said in a conference devoted to energy produced from biomass, biogas or in cogeneration plans, organised by the Romanian Association for the Promotion of Energy Efficiency and GOVNET Conferences.

According to him, depending on the support and investment recouping schemes, the funds have been mainly directed to the wind power sector, then to the photovoltaic sector.

With regard to the situation at the Iron Gates, he said that the reservoir from the Iron Gates I is nearly empty.

"Do you know what is happening today, at 10:11? The reservoir at the Iron Gates I has one meter and half until the limit for stopping the Kaplan turbines. It is absolutely empty. This means that the turbines are producing a yield under 47 per cent. The reservoir of the Iron Gates II is full, filled, but given the great government resolution with the price of turbine processed water, the turbines are stopped because the price of turbine processed water is much higher than the...