Cand va afla si Romania care sunt obiectivele strategice ale Europei?When Will Romania Find Out About Europe’s Strategic Objectives?

In asteptarea unor opinii fundamentate privind viitorul energetic al Romaniei, respectiv stabilirea unei strategii cu perspectiva pentru 2030-2035, ne vedem obligati sa revenim la declaratiile celor responsabili cu elaborarea acestei strategii, de care nu ne putem ocupa pentru ca nu avem bani. In schimb, domniile lor se pricep la datul cu parerea.

Ministrul delegat pentru energie a auzit, probabil, ca Romania isi propune de vreo 5-6 ani sa devina un pol energetic in regiune. Cu toate ca am ratat demult aceasta oportunitate, domnul Nita o afirma raspicat: „ambitia autoritatilor este ca Romania sa devina un pol energetic, iar OPCOM sa se dezvolte ca bursa regionala”. Ce nu stie domnul ministru este faptul ca OPCOM a pierdut aceasta sansa de multa vreme, si nu neaparat din vina lui. Nici un guvern nu a sprijinit operatorul pietei de energie din Romania sa atinga acest obiectiv.

In schimb, daca in urma cu cativa ani, tara noastra era inclusa in strategia Uniunii Europene privind stabilirea unor poluri energetice europene (noi faceam parte din zona Balcanilor alaturi de Ungaria, Grecia, Bulgaria, sau Slovacia), in varianta actuala nu mai suntem inclusi in nici o zona. Mai mult decat atat, Comisia Europeana ne-a dat in judecata la Curtea Europeana de Justitie tocmai pentru ca nu ne-am indeplinit angajamentele, unele dintre ele avand legatura directa cu obiectivul aratat mai sus.

Primul ministru, Victor Viorel Ponta a auzit si el ceva despre toate astea, fara sa stie insa ca vremea sperantelor a apus. „Europa si regiunile Marii Negre trebuie sa se adapteze si sa se schimbe in acelasi timp, intelegand ca batalia pentru siguranta energetica, pentru o energie sustenabila (…) este intr-adevar o batalie esentiala. Romania este hotarata, si Guvernul pe care il conduc, de a fi printre primele guverne si tari care inteleg aceasta schimbare fundamentala, care inteleg ca batalia pentru independenta energetica si pentru infrastructura energetica, mai ales, este una dintre cele mai importante in anii care urmeaza”.

Daca nu ne vine sa plangem, atunci sa facem haz de necaz. Caci, in continuarea acestor declaratii urmeaza ca Romania sa devina un pol pentru piata gazelor naturale. Nu se stie cand, dar suna bine. Paradoxal, vizavi de acest obiectiv am mai avea o sansa, mica, ce-i drept. Dar cine pune mana, sau capul, pentru a nu-l rata si pe acesta? Daca am avea o strategie pe care s-o urmam indeaproape si pe care s-o prezentam si Comisiei Europene in timp util, poate ca am avea un sprijin si poate ca investitorii ar fi interesati de piata romaneasca. Dar, din pacate, nu avem si nici nu vom avea pana la sfarsitul anului viitor, asa cum declara Constantin Nita. Pana atunci insa, zarurile vor fi deja aruncate si pe piata gazelor.

Ca o paranteza, despre Nabucco nu mai scoate nimeni nici un cuvant, despre resursele de carbune la fel, despre potentialul nuclear se spun doar bancuri, iar regenerabilele nu au trecut de la faza de sperietoare. Si sa nu uitam de unitatile in cogenerare, pentru care deja platim fiecare dintre noi, de cativa ani, fara nici un rezultat. Sunt numai cateva situatii presante in momentul de fata, pentru care Guvernul nu are nici un raspuns.

In jurul nostru se intampla o serie de lucruri de importanta majora  in domeniul energetic, fara nici un efect insa asupra autoritatilor de la Bucuresti (inclusiv cele de dinaintea guvernului Ponta).  Si ca sa revenim la strategia energetica, ne permitem sa sugeram cateva considerente de la care s-ar putea porni, fara bani de la guvern. Deocamdata ne referim exclusiv la energia electrica, ca obiectiv strategic, din care ulterior se pot dezvolta strategiile sectoriale care sunt interdependente.

Obiective strategice:

* In anul 2020, 30% din energia primara sa fie energie nucleara si 25% energie regenerabila;

* Conservarea rezervelor proprii de gaz astfel incat perioada estimata de asigurare cu gaz la nivelul consumului curent si a rezervelor sigure sa fie de 25 ani;

* Conservarea rezervelor proprii de petrol si gaze astfel incat perioada estimată de asigurare cu gaz la nivelul consumului curent si a rezervelor sigure sa fie de 15 ani;

* Eficienta energetica in anul 2020 de minim 20% din consumul de energie primara in anul 2010;

* Reducerea emisilor de CO2 in anul 2020 cu 20% fata de emisile din anul 2010;

* Anul 2015 sa insemne punerea in functiune a unui HUB de gaz in Romania;

In baza acestor obiective strategice se poate trece la dezvoltarea strategiei sectoriale.

(va urma)While we wait for viable opinions about Romania’s energy future, namely for a strategy on the horizon of 2030-2035, we are compelled to return to the statements of the officials responsible for developing this strategy – the one which they can’t draft because there’s no funding for it. On the other hand, those gentlemen are ready to reckon about it.

The minister for energy must have heard that Romania intends – for 5 or 6 years now – to become an energy pole in its region. Although we have long ago missed this opportunity, Mr. Nita states firmly: „our authorities nurture the ambition of Romania becoming an energy pole, while [the Electrical Energy Market Operator] OPCOM develops as a regional marketplace”. What the minister does not know is that OPCOM has lost this chance longtime ago, and it’s not necessarily his fault. So far, no government has supported the Romanian energy market operator in reaching this objective.

But if Romania was included, only a couple of years ago, in the European Union’s strategy for setting up continental energy poles (it was included in the Balkan area, together with Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, and Slovakia), the current version leaves it out altogether, in no area at all. Moreover, the European Commission has sued Romania at the European Court of Justice exactly because the country failed to fulfill its commitments, some of which are directly related to the aforementioned objective.

The prime minister, Mr. Victor Viorel Ponta, has also heard something about all these, but does not know that the time for hope is past. „Europe and the Black Sea regions must adapt and change themselves at the same time, understanding that the struggle for energy safety, for sustainable energy […] is indeed a crucial battle. Romania is decided, and my government is decided to be among the first who understand this fundamental change, who understand that the battle for the energy self-sufficiency and especially for the energy infrastructure is among the most important in the coming years”.

If we cannot cry, let us laugh bitterly. Because these statements should be followed by Romania’s setting up as a pole for the natural gas market. Nobody knows when – but it sounds good. Paradoxically, there is still a chance for this latter objective, though it is a rather small one. But who’s going to work, or think, to avoid missing this one, too? Should we have a strategy to be followed closely and to be submitted to the European Commission in due time, we might have some support, and the investors might show some interest for the Romanian market. Unfortunately, we don’t, and we won’t until the end of next year, as Mr. Constantin Nita said. Until then, the die will be cast for the gas market, too.

If we’re allowed to digress, no one utters a word about Nabucco anymore, or about the coal resources, the nuclear potential has become a matter for jokes, and renewable energy is nothing more than a bogey. And let us not forget about the CHP units, for which everyone of us pays already for a couple of years now, without results. These are just a few urgent issues for which the government has no answers.

Things are happening around our country, major things in the energy industry, without any impact on the officials in Bucharest, including those before Mr. Ponta’s cabinet.  And, to return to the energy strategy, allow us to suggest a few considerations to build upon without government funding. So far, we only discuss the electrical energy, as a strategic objective, the basis upon which interdependent sectoral strategies can be further developed.

Strategic objectives:

* In 2020, 30% of the primary energy should be nuclear, and 25% renewable;

* Conservation of the national gas reserves, so as to have an estimate period of 25 years of coverage of the current consumption at the known reserves level ;

* Conservation of the national oil and gas reserves, so as to have an estimate period of 15 years of coverage of the current consumption at the known reserves level;

* Energy efficiency in 2020 of at least 20% of the primary energy consumption in 2010;

* Reduction of the CO2 emissions in 2020 by 20% compared to 2010;

* Commissioning of a gas hub in Romania in 2015;

Based on these strategic objectives, it will be possible to start developing the the sectoral strategies.

(to be continued)