The prosumer, an increasingly important player in the Romanian energy market

During the conference “Prosumer – An increasingly important player in the Romanian energy market”, on June 27, 2023, organized by the Romanian National Committee of the World Energy Council (CNR-CME), in partnership with Electrica S.A. and Electrica Furnizare S.A., the current stage of the process of introducing prosumers into the network and identifying the problems that must be solved to remove the current barriers was highlighted.

More and more domestic and non-domestic energy users want to become prosumers, that is, to be active users – at the same time both consumers and producers of electricity. In recent years, the prosumer concept has gained increased popularity, due to the increasing concern for photovoltaic panels and renewable energy solutions, and the rate of increase in the number of requests to connect prosumers to the electricity distribution network is increasing.

“Increasing energy production from renewable sources and reducing, up to the total elimination of production from fossil fuels, is the solution recommended and accepted by specialists in the field and the population. In these conditions, distributed generation becomes a possibility to increase security in the supply of energy to consumers, and, at the same time, a possibility to control prices, which led to a significant increase in the number of prosumers, also due to the co-financing support from Environmental Fund. During the conference we will analyse concrete topics regarding the current state of network and market introduction of prosumers, technical issues regarding network connection, commercial aspects and possible solutions to remove barriers. We will also identify some aspects related to the impact of connecting a very large number of prosumers in certain areas, especially in low voltage networks, which are not always very strongly developed, do not have adequate technical conditions for connecting such a large number of prosumers. This will primarily impact the distribution operator, but sooner or later it will also affect the consumer and even the power system. As with power quality, those who will be most affected are not disruptive consumers, but non-disruptive consumers. That’s why the appropriate voltage level of each electricity consumer must be ensured”, said Mr. Ștefan Gheorghe, executive general director of CNR-CME at the opening of the conference.

Prof. Dr. Eng. Ion Lungu – CNR-CME adviser and moderator of the conference stated: “This phrase of integration of prosumers in the energy market implies two aspects: integration from a commercial point of view and integration in the distribution network, both of which are equally important. The integration of prosumers into the market is something that is not only desired, but also stimulated at the political level. If we refer to the environment, they are energy producers with zero emissions, and regarding the safety of consumers’ food supply, it is considered as a possible solution for its increase”.

As a special speaker, Mr. Viorel Alicuş, director general within ANRE, analyzed the rapid evolution of the number of prosumers in the last period, the current stage of the process of connecting them to the network, as well as the challenges faced by the distribution network as as a result of the very high pace of putting the installations into operation. He also presented the conclusions of the analysis carried out by ANRE, according to which: “In the last 12 months (April 2022 – April 2023), there was an increase of approximately 47,000 in the number of prosumers, respectively by over 600 MW in the power installed by prosumers. ” To support the growing trend of prosumers, Mr. Alicuș emphasized: “At ANRE, we are working to modify and complete the regulatory framework, so that the barriers faced by new prosumers both in the connection process and in the energy trading process are eliminated electrical products”.

The main aspects derived from the presentations of the speakers and from the proactive discussions within the panel of specialists highlighted the following:

• After 2021 there was an exponential increase in the number of prosumers and the power installed by them. At the end of April 2023 there were over 63,000 prosumers with an installed capacity of 753 MW. The estimate for the end of June 2023 is over 900 MW;

• Quantitative compensation is applied, but there are long delays in invoicing natural person prosumers;

• For the end of 2023, a number of over 100,000 prosumers are estimated;

• There are a whole series of challenges for distributors in maintaining voltage quality, both in terms of voltage value and harmonics;

• There is an indiscipline when connecting, especially regarding the setting of the inverters. ANRE recommends delegating the Inverter Administrator service to the Distribution Operator;

• Prosumer energy storage is a necessity and must be regulated as soon as possible;

• The facilities that the prosumers benefit from are paid for by all consumers through the distribution tariffs;

• Increased transparency in data management and publication is needed;

• Aggregators and energy communities represent a good solution in the management and use of energy produced from photovoltaic and wind energy sources;

• ANRE is working on regulations regarding the compensation of energy from the production sites of a prosumer, with its consumption and from other places (at first for the same supplier and the same distributor).