President Iohannis promulgates law on offshore wind energy

President Klaus Iohannis promulgated the Law on offshore wind energy. The law regulates the general framework necessary for the implementation in Romania of electricity production projects from offshore wind resources."The implementation of electricity generation projects from offshore wind resources shall be carried out in compliance with the principle of non-discrimination, in conditions of fair competition, and in compliance with the principle of integrated pollution prevention and control through the use of the best available techniques for activities with significant environmental impact," the law provides.According to it, in offshore wind energy production, the Ministry of Energy has the following powers: It carries out expert studies on the basis of which it establishes the offshore perimeters that can be offered for concession and identifies the basic technical information related to the perimetres in question, which is made available to economic operators interested in participating in the competitive tendering procedure, establishes the offshore perimetres that can be concessioned for the exploration of the perimetres and the construction and operation of offshore wind power plants in compliance with the prohibited areas.The Ministry of Energy concludes the concession contract, receives and manages the data and information on offshore wind resources communicated by the concessionaires, ensuring the storage, systematisation and and their exploitation, draws the model concession framework contract, which includes the rights and obligations of the parties, draws up the state aid scheme, and as granting authority it monitors and controls the concessionaire's compliance with the provisions of the concession contract.Within 3 months from the date of entry into force of this law, the Ministry of Energy shall initiate the procedures for the preparation of an expert study for the concession process and the exploration, construction and operation of offshore wind power plants.    The law on offshore wind energy will enter into force on 30 May, the Ministry of Energy announced on Tuesday, following the promulgation of the law by President of Romania Klaus-Werner Iohannis."Romania is the first country at the Black Sea with a regulatory framework for offshore wind energy. Today, the President of Romania, Mr Klaus-Werner Iohannis, has promulgated the Law on offshore wind energy. In 30 days, on 30 May, the Offshore Wind Energy Law will enter into force. With the law promulgated today by the president of Romania, our country has reconfirmed its role as a regional leader in the energy area," reads a press release the Ministry.The adoption of a legislative framework to start exploiting offshore wind resources is a vital step in ensuring Romania's energy independence and resilience. At the same time, with the law enacted today, Romania marks the achievement of another milestone in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan."With the Offshore Wind Energy Law, Romania has reconfirmed its role as a regional leader and an example of best practice in the energy sector. Today we are entering the last stretch, and by 2032 we will have the first MW of electricity produced by using wind resources from the Black Sea in the National Energy Grid. I am honoured that, during my mandate as minister of Energy, Romania is taking the first steps to exploit its wind energy potential in the Black Sea: 76 GW of installed capacity. In the coming period, the priority for the Ministry of Energy is to start as soon as possible the preparatory activities for the auction of offshore wind energy perimetres. We are keeping our word, as we promised from the first day of our mandate: safe, green and cheap energy for all Romanians," Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja is quoted in the press release as saying.According to the press release, the implementation of offshore wind energy projects in Romania involves not only the Ministry of Energy, but also the relevant authority for the regulation of operations (under the Secretariat General of the Government - SGG, which will issue development approvals), the Ministry of Environment, Transelectrica, the National Energy Regulating Authority - ANRE, the Ministry of Defence, the Border Police, etc.