Romania’s oil and coal consumption tumble as solar generation soars in Jan-Aug
From January to August, Romania’s crude oil intake fell 21.1% and coal use dropped 17.3%, while solar power output surged 48%.
Romania’s energy profile for January-August shows a sharp decline in fossil fuel use, with crude oil intake down 21.1% to 6.0 million toe and coal consumption falling 17.3% to 1.1 million toe. Petroleum product imports climbed almost 20% to 2.7 million toe, while natural gas consumption rose modestly by 2.7% to 7.1 million toe as domestic gas output slipped 0.4% to 4.95 million toe. Electricity production grew 3.1% to 33.3 TWh, largely thanks to a 48% increase in solar generation to 5.17 TWh and a 13.5% boost in hydropower to 9.17 TWh.
Final electricity consumption dropped 4.0% year-on-year, improving the external balance, with exports up 12.4% to 10.5 TWh and imports down 6.3% to 11.8 TWh. The trade balance remains negative, and the terms of trade are unfavorable because most exports occur during peak-price hours.
Why it matters
The shift away from oil and coal toward renewables reshapes Romania’s energy security and trade balance.
In this story
