REMARC 2026Review copy
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Chapter 06

Energy Transition

Nearly 70% of Romania’s electricity now comes from clean sources, while coal recedes, electric mobility scales up and long-term costs tilt decisively towards renewables.

  1. In this chapter
  2. Key facts70
  3. Clean vs fossil electricity71
  4. Countries above 50% clean72
  5. Carbon intensity73
  6. Cost outlook by technology74
  7. Final energy consumption75
  8. Electric vehicle fleet76
  9. Charging infrastructure77
  10. Critical minerals demand78
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Key facts
Energy Transition 2025

Four numbers that summarise Romania’s progress on the energy transition. Each one links to the page where the evidence sits.

Clean share of electricity, 2025
68%

Romania's low-carbon electricity system ranks among the cleanest in Europe.

Clean vs fossil share by EU country · p. 71
Solid fossil fuels in final energy use, 2024 vs 2014
−58%

Coal declined while renewables strengthened Romania's diversified energy mix.

Solid fossil fuels, ktoe · p. 75
Battery electric vehicles on the road, 2025
58.3k

Transport electrification is accelerating through expanding EVs and charging infrastructure.

Cumulative BEVs, thousands (2026–2031 forecast) · p. 76
Carbon intensity of electricity, 2025
260gCO₂/kWh

Romania combines strong energy security with continued progress towards decarbonization.

Carbon intensity by EU country · p. 73
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Clean electricity

Romania generated nearly 70% of its electricity from clean sources in 2025, positioning it close to the EU average.

Clean energy vs fossil fuel share of electricity generation, EU countries · % of total generation, 2025

Fig. 6.1
Source: EMBER
  • Romania ranked just below the EU average, with approximately 68% clean electricity generation in 2025.
  • Clean energy accounted for roughly two-thirds of Romania’s electricity mix, while fossil fuels supplied the remainder.
  • Nordic countries continued to lead Europe, with Sweden and Finland generating almost entirely clean electricity.
  • Large differences across EU countries highlight diverse generation mixes and varying stages of the energy transition.
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Clean electricity

The number of European countries generating over 50% clean electricity nearly doubled between 2015 and 2025.

2015: above 50% clean electricity · 12 of 27 EU countries

Fig. 6.2
Source: to be confirmed by CIGADark = above 50% clean electricity

2025: above 50% clean electricity · 21 of 27 EU countries

Fig. 6.3
Source: to be confirmed by CIGADark = above 50% clean electricity
  • Clean electricity became the majority source in significantly more European countries over the decade.
  • The expansion reflects rapid deployment of renewables alongside stable low-carbon generation across Europe.
  • Central and Eastern European countries recorded some of the strongest improvements in clean electricity shares.
  • Romania remained among Europe's countries generating more than half of electricity from clean sources.
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Carbon intensity

Romania maintained one of Europe's lowest electricity carbon intensities, reflecting its diversified low-carbon generation portfolio.

Carbon intensity of electricity, EU countries · gCO₂/kWh, 2023–2025

Fig. 6.4
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA
  • Romania consistently ranked among Europe's lowest-carbon electricity systems between 2023 and 2025.
  • Carbon intensity remained substantially below neighboring countries including Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary.
  • Most European countries recorded declining electricity carbon intensity over the three-year period.
  • Sweden, France and Finland continued to record Europe's lowest electricity carbon intensity levels.
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Cost of generation

RES technologies are projected to become the most cost-competitive source, while fossil fuel generation faces rising long-term costs.

Levelised cost of electricity: low-carbon technologies · ¢/kWh, 2024–2060

Fig. 6.5
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA

LCOE: natural gas and oil · ¢/kWh, 2024–2060

Fig. 6.6
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA

LCOE: coal · ¢/kWh, 2024–2060

Fig. 6.7
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA
  • Solar PV and onshore wind show the lowest projected LCOE, declining steadily through 2060 as technology improves and deployment scales.
  • Offshore wind costs are also expected to fall significantly, reflecting technological advancements and larger project developments.
  • Natural gas and oil generation costs remain volatile, with gas prices projected to increase significantly in long-term scenarios.
  • Coal generation becomes increasingly expensive, reflecting carbon pricing, environmental regulation and declining competitiveness in future power systems.
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Final energy

Romania's final energy consumption remained broadly stable, with transport gaining importance while petroleum products continued to dominate.

Final energy consumption by sector · ktoe, 2014–2024

Fig. 6.8
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA

Final energy consumption by fuel · ktoe, 2014–2024

Fig. 6.9
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA
  • Transport became the fastest-growing final energy-consuming sector between 2014 and 2024.
  • Households remained the largest final energy consumer despite relatively stable overall demand.
  • Oil and petroleum products continued to account for the largest share of final energy consumption.
  • Electricity and renewable fuels gradually increased their contribution to Romania's final energy mix.
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E-mobility

Romania's electric vehicle fleet is projected to expand rapidly, driven by sustained growth in annual BEV registrations through 2031.

BEV new registrations and cumulative BEVs in circulation · vehicles, 2021–2031

Fig. 6.10
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA2026–2031 forecast
  • Annual BEV registrations are forecast to recover and exceed previous peaks by 2031.
  • The cumulative number of battery electric vehicles is expected to grow continuously throughout the decade.
  • Temporary market fluctuations are not expected to alter Romania's long-term electrification trajectory.
  • Accelerating EV adoption will increase electricity demand while supporting transport sector decarbonization.
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E-mobility

Romania's EV charging network is projected to expand rapidly, supported by sustained growth in installed charging capacity through 2031.

Charging points by type and installed charging power · charging points; kW, 2021–2031

Fig. 6.11
Source: to be confirmed by CIGA2026–2031 forecast
  • The number of both AC and DC charging points is forecast to increase steadily.
  • Installed charging capacity is expected to surpass one million kilowatts by 2031.
  • Fast DC charging infrastructure will expand alongside widespread deployment of AC chargers.
  • Charging infrastructure growth is expected to support accelerating electric vehicle adoption across Romania.
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Critical minerals

Demand for critical minerals is expected to grow rapidly as clean energy technologies expand across global decarbonisation pathways.

Global demand for critical minerals: total and for clean technologies · kt, 2024–2050

Fig. 6.12
Source: to be confirmed by CIGAColumns = clean technologies · Lines = total demand
  • Minerals demand for clean technologies grows faster than total demand, highlighting their central role in the energy transition.
  • Global demand for critical minerals increases significantly across all scenarios, driven by expanding deployment of renewable energy and clean technologies.
  • Securing supply chains for critical minerals will become a strategic priority for energy security and industrial policy.
  • In the Net Zero scenario, demand rises the most, reflecting accelerated electrification and large-scale clean energy deployment.
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