Romania finalizes rules for national battery storage subsidy program

Romania’s Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMAP) has finalized the rules for a national battery-storage subsidy program after a public consultation that drew more than 200 submissions. The scheme, administered by the Administrația Fondului pentru Mediu (AFM), funds the installation of electricity-storage systems for renewable energy.

The scheme has a budget of RON 400 million ($87.8 million) and will fund up to 75% of eligible project costs for prosumers installing battery storage systems, with grants capped at RON 15,000, including VAT. It is limited to individuals who already hold prosumer status with a grid-connected PV system.

The final guide differs from the draft version published for consultation in August. The minimum eligible storage capacity was reduced from 12 kWh to 10 kWh, while the maximum eligible cost standard was raised from RON 1,250/kWh to RON 1,500/kWh. The required battery lifespan increased from 3,000 to 5,000 charge-discharge cycles, and all funded systems must include a battery management system (BMS) that monitors performance and protects the equipment.

The final scoring system awards up to 100 points across two criteria: applicants’ own financial contribution and their system’s storage capacity, each worth up to 50 points. The maximum capacity score is reached at 20 kWh, meaning systems above that size receive no additional points, although the grant itself remains capped at RON 15,000 regardless of capacity.

The ministry removed a draft criterion that scored applications based on the size of the household’s existing PV installation, which it said could have unfairly favored larger systems.

Minister Diana Buzoianu said the final guide reflects incorporation of feedback gathered during the consultation process, and described the measure as the ministry’s first dedicated national battery-storage program administered through MMAP and AFM.

AFM said that once the enrollment session opens, applications will be ranked by score rather than processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with projects selected in order of ranking until the available budget is exhausted. The agency said it would announce the enrollment period and other operational details in the coming days.

The program targets Romania’s growing base of prosumers. The country’s energy regulator, ANRE, reported 332,684 prosumers with a combined installed capacity of approximately 3,789 MW as of April 30, up from nearly 288,000 prosumers and 3.35 GW at the end of November 2025, according to ANRE data. According to AFM program documentation, the earlier Casa Verde Fotovoltaice scheme funded residential PV installations but did not include a dedicated battery-storage component.

The prosumer-focused program adds to a broader wave of Romanian storage support. Romania’s Ministry of Energy separately runs a state-aid-cleared subsidy scheme for industrial and utility-scale battery deployment, part of a policy push that has helped the country’s utility-scale BESS capacity surpass 1 GW/2 GWh so far this year, according to the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association.