Iron Gates, Romania – Hybrid energy park combining solar, wind and storage
The Iron Gates project represents Korkia’s entry into Romania’s rapidly evolving renewable energy market, combining solar, wind, and battery storage in a single hybrid energy park.
In 2024, Korkia entered the Romanian renewable energy market through a partnership with local development team, Econous Green Energy, setting sights on the development of over 600 MW of renewable power generation. The partnership was formed through Korkia’s existing network in the Southeast Europe region, serving as an example of Korkia’s approach to identifying new opportunities through internal growth and business development.
With over 300 MW of solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) in mid-phase development, the team is also working towards expanding its pipeline with an exciting new project combining solar, wind and battery storage: The Iron Gates hybrid project.
“The Iron Gates hybrid project marks the first hybrid project initiative under Korkia and Econous Green Energy’s strategic partnership in Romania. The project consists of 250 MW of solar and 40 MW of onshore wind power, as well as 250 MW of battery energy storage (BESS),” Michael Roussos, Korkia’s Country Manager for Romania explains.
The project takes its name from a nearby geological feature on the river Danube, the Iron Gates gorge. This steep, narrow passageway in southwest Romania runs along the border with Serbia and has inspired local myths and folklore throughout history.
The region benefits from both high solar irradiation and strong wind speeds, offering a unique opportunity to harness both resources to generate clean energy.
Where solar meets wind: The rise of hybrid energy parks
The target is to develop a combination of solar PV, onshore wind, and battery energy storage assets located in close proximity, forming a hybrid energy park across a site spanning over 300 hectares.
Once successfully developed to operation, the Iron Gates project will consist of approximately 250 MW of solar PV, 40 MW of onshore wind and up to 1500 MWh of battery storage, producing enough energy to power more than 200,000 households annually.
Multi-technology energy parks are playing an increasing role in the global energy landscape due to the complimentary generation profiles of wind and solar PV. When coupled with battery energy storage, large-scale hybrid projects allow for flexibility in the generation and storage of clean power and provide attractive investment opportunities by hedging technology risk.
Accelerating green investments in Southeastern Europe
Romania has set its sights on becoming a net exporter of renewable energy and strengthening its position as a key player in Europe’s energy network. The Romanian renewables market experiencing a resurgence in investment following a period of uncertainty, thanks to supportive policy implementation, increased transparency and streamlining of the permitting & licensing process.
Legislation has been introduced in recent months & years that promotes a more efficient process for the development of utility-scale renewable energy projects in Romania. Stricter quality assurance standards and financial guarantee requirements have been introduced for projects hoping to secure their grid connection permit (Aviz Tehnic de Racordare, “ATR”) – a move which aims to clear the crowded grid queue of low-quality speculative applications, providing a shorter timeline for feasible projects to be built, connected and operational.
With a growth expectancy of 7 GW over the next ten years, and favorable conditions for solar and wind power generation, Romania’s growth in this sector is positioning the country as a renewable energy hub in a strategic location – the crossroads between Central, Southern and Eastern Europe.
More information:
Michael Roussos
michael.roussos@korkia.co.uk
+44 7713 632 913
The information presented reflects the situation at the time of presentation and is subject to change. Market and other conditions may change, which may affect the content of the information provided.
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