Solar Open Day brought the public closer to a new photovoltaic park. On September 17, the Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) organized in Călugăreni, Giurgiu County, the third edition of the event, which has already become a landmark for the solar energy industry.
This year’s host was PPC Renewables Romania, which opened the doors of the Lumina photovoltaic park, which has been operational since 2023. Spread over 88 hectares, the park includes over 120,000 solar panels and has an installed capacity of 63 MW, producing approximately 99 GWh of green energy annually. Through this production, Lumina contributes to avoiding over 112,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year and provides a concrete example of how clean energy can support Romania’s decarbonization goals.
But beyond the numbers, Lumina also tells a story about the community. Through partnerships with local schools and Curtea Veche Publishing, PPC Renewables Romania has carried out a series of educational and infrastructure initiatives: from reading workshops and book donations for libraries to school furniture assembled by the company’s volunteers. These actions increasingly show that clean energy not only means electricity production, but also concrete benefits for the communities that host these projects.
Solar Open Day aims to bring solar energy closer to the public – not only through technologies and installations, but also through experiences and dialogue. The theme of this edition, “Clean energy, double impact for communities”, highlighted both the role of renewable energy in the national energy system and the direct benefits for people’s daily lives.
Andrei Manea, Executive Director of RPIA, emphasized:
“We can count on solar energy as a safe and stable resource, and the Lumina photovoltaic park is one of the most innovative projects in Romania, because it also integrates energy storage solutions. It is an essential step for the flexibility and security of the system. The solar industry in Romania has reached a stage of maturity, much more stable than in the beginning, and the fact that we are now talking about integrating storage shows the real progress we are making in the energy transition.”
Adrian Dugulan, General Manager of PPC Renewables Romania, said:
“Today, we open the gates of the Lumina photovoltaic park on the occasion of Solar Open Day and invite the wider community to see firsthand how solar energy works and why it matters for our future. Lumina is one of the projects that successfully combines clean energy production technology with storage technology and contributes to the long-term vision of PPC Renewables Romania to be a leader in the region’s energy. Romania has an important role in this transition that we can support with projects that bring real benefits to people, society, and the environment.”
The speeches were complemented by the interventions of the other guests, who brought the European dimension and the strategic collaborations of the sector to the fore. Her Excellency, the Ambassador of Greece to Romania, Lili-Evangelia Grammatika, highlighted the investments of Greek companies in the energy sector and their role in regional cooperation and the green transition. Dries Acke, Deputy CEO SolarPower Europe, described the Lumina park as an inspiring example of the integration of solar-battery technology and highlighted the need for clear rules and an accelerated expansion of production and storage capacities. Christian Leonte, CEO Waldevar Holding, stressed the importance of the balance between industry, communities, and environmental protection. In turn, Vicențiu Ciobanu, CEO Prime Batteries, showed that the battery industry is essential for complementing renewable energy production and stressed the importance of strengthening the local value chain.
Solar Open Day III brought together representatives of local authorities, community members, ambassadors, journalists, students and professionals from the solar energy sector, along with members of the RPIA Board of Directors. The event provided a meeting place for industry, authorities and the community, focusing on concrete projects and the direct impact of clean energy.
About the organizers
RPIA
The Romanian Photovoltaic Industry Association (RPIA) is the voice of the solar sector, bringing together over 60 members from the entire value chain – from developers and investors, to consultants, EPCs, distributors and legal experts. RPIA promotes sustainable policies, supports the development of a competitive energy market and facilitates dialogue between industry, decision-makers and communities. Through active involvement at national and European level, the association contributes to the creation of an adequate legislative and regulatory framework to accelerate the energy transition and achieve climate neutrality targets.
PPC Renewables Romania
PPC Group is rapidly developing its renewable portfolio in Greece, Romania, Italy and Bulgaria, with an installed capacity increasing from 4.7 GW in the first half of 2024 to 6.3 GW at the end of June 2025. PPC Group’s objective is to reach an installed renewable capacity of 11.8 GW by 2027. Currently, 3.7 GW of new projects are under construction or ready for construction. In Romania, PPC Renewables, part of PPC Group, is a leader in renewable energy, with a current installed capacity of over 1.3 GW and continues to strengthen its portfolio with large-scale projects at an alert pace, being the largest private renewable energy producer in Romania.
*This is a press release.
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