“It is clear that the situation in the energy industry is much better than last year. Perhaps we are not fully satisfied, but we are pleasantly impressed by the progress. Predictability remains the biggest challenge we face in any discussion. If we sit down to talk, predictability will always come first.
What we have done to bring predictability to industry is to respond to market demands. Market players have very high ambitions and have raised the bar significantly, so we have been proactive, correctly forecasting needs and scaling ourselves properly for the challenges ahead,” said Christian Leonte, CEO of Waldevar Holding, at the Green Energy Conference organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest.
Key statements:
- Team and resources: “We now have over 1,300 specialists. We maintain our competitive advantage by carrying out all operations with in-house resources, including not only human expertise but also the necessary equipment. Beyond horizontal expansion to meet field resource needs, we have also diversified vertically.”
- On bankability: “Bankability is, in fact, another form of predictability required by financial institutions. We are here to give banks the confidence that financed projects will be delivered to the highest quality standards, within short timelines, and in line with proposed budgets.”
- Long-term projects: “Photovoltaic parks and wind farms have a lifespan of 25–30 years. We have invested heavily, and continue to do so, in ensuring their operation and maintenance to secure high uptime and efficiency over their entire lifecycle.”
- Innovation and diversification: “Together with Hidroelectrica, we are developing the first floating photovoltaic park on the lower Olt River, at Ipotești. Floating solar may seem exotic now, just as battery storage once did, but soon it will reach the place it deserves in the market.”
- International expansion: “We are currently in the design phase of the Hidroelectrica project, but we will soon start building a 17 MW solar park in France. One of our ambitions is to carry out projects abroad with Romanian partners.”
- Financing appetite: “There is money in the market. The appetite for financing is very high, with more and more banks and financial institutions eager to invest. They are, in a way, obliged to do so to meet their ESG objectives, which puts pressure on delivering projects efficiently.”
- Domestic production and sustainability: “Romania has a tremendous potential, and it would be a pity not to harness it. We aim to be sustainable and energy independent, which also means taking responsibility for ensuring equipment is produced in Romania. On the floating side, we are already equipping a factory that will produce floating systems for photovoltaic projects.”
- Hybridization projects: “Together with PPC, we are finalizing the hybridization of the Călugăreni project, where we initially built 63 MW in solar, now coupled with battery storage. Behind these 63 MW, we have also added another 131 MW capacity.”
- Choosing the right partners: “The volumes in the market are impressive and require careful attention in choosing partners. We cannot afford to develop projects of such scale only to find later that they cannot be energized, suffer downtime, or fail to deliver efficiency.”
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