In the coming years, Romania has at its disposal unprecedented European funds of billions of euros for the transition to an energy sector with low emissions.
In a national first, energy poverty in small towns in Romania will be investigated. The Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), the initiator of the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory (ORSE), has started, for the first time in the country, a pilot research project on energy poverty in small urban areas, an area at the intersection between big cities and the countryside. The objectives of the research are to identify how energy poverty manifests itself in small towns, which are the main challenges, but also which are the important actors and the specific solutions to reduce this phenomenon.
Romania must invest in the rehabilitation of buildings and heating systems to reduce energy poverty, through REPowerEU, according to the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory (ORSE) experts. The essence of the REPowerEU investments and reforms package is to reduce energy poverty and the effects of the crisis at the level of the European Union. Measures such as improving the insulation of buildings inhabited by vulnerable consumers and replacing their heating and cooling systems with modern types of equipment are the most effective way to tackle energy poverty.
Microsoft has achieved its goal of matching 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, reaching the milestone five years ahead of its 2025 target. The achievement supports the company's commitment to become carbon negative by 2030.
The recent weakening of the CSRD may have some real estate developers cheering the compliance rollbacks, but the consequences could be complicated. A new research survey examines how EU real estate firms are navigating changes to the CSRD, and what that could mean for upcoming SFDR revisions.
Waldevar Energy has begun construction on two utility-scale photovoltaic parks for Doral Energy in Tudor Vladimirescu (Brăila County) and Ștefan Vodă (Călărași County), Romania. The projects will deliver 14 MWp of installed capacity using around 25,000 photovoltaic panels.
Lidl Romania has published its eighth sustainability report for the 2024 financial year, announcing accelerated progress in reducing environmental impact. The retailer has achieved its international 2030 target for transitioning to natural refrigerants, with these now used in 100% of logistics centres and 81.7% of stores, compared to the original goal of 100% of logistics centres and 40% of stores. The company has also increased its green energy usage to 80% of total consumption.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to reduce the scope and stringency of two major ESG regulatory frameworks: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
