Romania opens 400 million lei residential battery scheme and 150 million euro grid storage auction

Public consultation for residential battery grants

On 18 August 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests published the draft applicant guide for a new 400 million lei battery storage program. Administered through the Environment Fund Administration (AFM), the national scheme finances individual prosumers who operate grid-connected solar installations. The initiative seeks to establish at least 400 MWh of decentralized storage capacity across the country. Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu outlined the operational objective of funding domestic batteries rather than additional generation capacity.

In recent years, Romania has invested heavily in energy production with solar panels. The natural step is to invest now in storage, so that energy produced during the day can be used by prosumers in the evening, when consumption is higher and Romania ends up importing energy.

Public debates involving prosumers, certified installers, and industry associations will take place before the ministry formally approves the final regulatory document.

Subsidy rules and technical specifications

Under the AFM draft rules, individual prosumers can receive up to 15,000 lei including VAT per installation. The state grant covers up to 75% of eligible expenses, requiring beneficiaries to contribute at least 25% of the total project value. Funding is capped at 1,250 lei per kilowatt-hour of storage capacity, with eligible systems required to provide a minimum capacity of 12 kWh. The selection process replaces the first-come, first-served mechanism with a points-based evaluation system. Systems must be installed by technicians holding an ANRE Type B credential or an equivalent certification issued in another European Union member state.

Household eligibility and site conditions

The AFM program is open to individuals regardless of whether their solar panels were funded through earlier Casa Verde editions or private resources. Applicants must hold active prosumer status at registration and maintain no outstanding tax liabilities to local or national budgets. Properties with pre-existing battery storage installations are ineligible for funding under the guide. The rules also exclude sites with registered commercial or professional entities, unless business electrical consumption is metered entirely separately from the residential premises. Storage units must also be dimensioned in accordance with household consumption patterns and actual solar output.

Utility-scale storage through the Modernisation Fund

In parallel with the household consultation, interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced the publication of applicant rules for stand-alone battery storage in the Official Gazette. Financed through the European Modernisation Fund, this 150 million euro scheme targets at least 2,174 MWh of new storage capacity connected directly to the National Energy System. Commercial enterprises of any size under CAEN code 35 across electricity production, distribution, supply, and storage can receive up to 15 million euros per company. State aid is capped at 69,000 euros per MWh, with contracts awarded through competitive auctions to projects requesting the lowest support per unit of capacity.

Investments in storage mean a safer energy system, better use of renewable energy, and lower network balancing costs.

Implementation schedule for grid storage

Project submissions for the 150 million euro commercial auction will take place online via the MySMIS platform between 1 September and 30 October 2026. Authorities will publish a provisional ranking based on requested prices per MWh in November 2026. Administrative and eligibility verifications will proceed through November and December 2026, followed by dispute resolution and contract signings in January and February 2027. Winning commercial developers must bring their autonomous storage installations into operation within 48 months of signing. Meanwhile, the AFM will process public consultation feedback on the residential rules before opening its digital application platform.