Romania finalizes rules for energy storage subsidies for prosumers

The Romanian government has published the final financial guidelines for its first dedicated nationwide subsidy program for energy storage systems for prosumers. The program offers grants covering up to 75% of project costs.

Consultations and program budget

Romania’s Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests has finalized the rules of the energy storage subsidy program following a public consultation that attracted more than 200 submissions.

The program is administered by the Environmental Fund Administration (Administrația Fondului pentru Mediu, AFM) and supports the installation of electricity storage systems for energy generated from renewable sources. The program has a budget of RON 400 million (approximately $87.8 million). The grant will cover up to 75% of eligible project costs for prosumers installing energy storage systems, with funding capped at RON 15,000 including VAT. The program is limited to individuals who already have prosumer status and a grid-connected photovoltaic installation.

Changes compared with the consultation draft

The final guidelines differ from the draft published for consultation in August:

• the minimum eligible energy storage capacity has been reduced from 12 kWh to 10 kWh,
• the maximum eligible standard cost has increased from RON 1,250/kWh to RON 1,500/kWh,
• the required battery lifetime has increased from 3,000 to 5,000 charge-discharge cycles,
• all funded systems must include a battery management system that monitors performance and protects the equipment.

How are applications scored?

The final scoring system awards up to 100 points across two categories: the applicant’s own financial contribution and the system’s storage capacity, with each category worth up to 50 points.

The maximum number of points for capacity is awarded at 20 kWh. Systems above this threshold do not receive additional points, although the grant itself remains capped at RON 15,000 regardless of capacity.

The ministry removed a criterion from the draft that would have awarded points based on the size of the household’s existing photovoltaic installation, stating that this could unfairly favor larger systems.

Minister Diana Buzoianu said the final version of the guidelines reflects feedback received during the consultation process. She described the instrument as the first dedicated nationwide subsidy program for energy storage systems, administered by the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP) and AFM.

How will the funding be awarded?

AFM said that once the application window opens, applications will be ranked according to their scores rather than assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. Projects will be selected in ranking order until the available budget is exhausted.

The agency said it would announce the application period and other operational details in the coming days. The program targets Romania’s growing prosumer base. Romania’s energy regulator, ANRE, recorded 332,684 prosumers with a total installed capacity of approximately 3,789 MW as of April 30, compared with nearly 288,000 prosumers and 3.35 GW at the end of November 2025.

According to AFM program documentation, the earlier Casa Verde Fotovoltaice program provided funding for residential photovoltaic installations but did not include a dedicated energy storage component.

Part of Romania’s broader support strategy

The prosumer-focused program is part of a broader wave of support for energy storage in Romania. Separately, Romania’s Ministry of Energy is operating a subsidy scheme — approved by the European Commission under state aid rules — for industrial and utility-scale energy storage deployment.

This policy has already helped Romania surpass the threshold of 1 GW / 2 GWh of utility-scale energy storage capacity this year, according to data from the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association.