The two executives emphasize that Romania\u2019s fundamentals, defined by competitive energy production costs, EU funding, and rising industrial demand, make it \u201ctoo attractive to ignore,\u201d even amid regulatory hurdles.<\/p>\n
Their collaboration, they explain, goes beyond the usual supplier-contractor model: \u201cIt\u2019s more than just about supplying panels or building projects \u2013 it\u2019s about delivering reliable, connection-ready assets investors can trust for 20\u201330 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two partners\u2019 technology-to-bankability approach, proven in milestone hybrid projects like the one they implemented in Gorj county, is shaping a new benchmark for speed, reliability, and investor returns. With Enexus targeting 600 MW in 2025 and LONGi expanding its integrated PV, storage, and hydrogen strategy, both companies see Romania as a regional launchpad for scalable, sustainable clean-energy solutions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenges raise the bar, but they ultimately reward those with superior technology and reliable local expertise,\u201d Jarnea concludes.<\/p>\n
Read the complete interview below:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Romania has ambitious clean energy targets, but grid bottlenecks and permitting delays often slow down projects. What is more important from an investor\u2019s perspective \u2013 the market\u2019s potential or the hurdles?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan, Enexus:<\/strong> Investors ultimately weigh both, but potential outweighs hurdles if they see credible partners who can navigate them. Romania\u2019s fundamentals\u2014competitive LCOE, EU funding, industrial demand\u2014make the market too attractive to ignore. Delays are real, but solvable with the right local execution and clear project structuring. That\u2019s where we step in to turn potential into bankable, grid-ready projects.<\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea, LONGi:<\/strong> Potential is the magnet: Romania\u2019s ambitious targets are a powerful attractor for capital. However, the ability to navigate the hurdles is the true measure of a project\u2019s bankability and profitability. Hurdles demand smarter investment, necessitating the highest-efficiency technology, like LONGi modules, to maximize yield despite grid bottlenecks. When paired with Enexus’s proven execution speed, this synergy ensures a faster time-to-revenue. The challenges raise the bar, but they ultimately reward those with superior technology and reliable local expertise.<\/p>\n You emphasize \u201cfaster returns for investors.\u201d Can you walk us through, in concrete terms, how your technology and execution model translate into better ROI compared to rival solutions in Romania?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan:<\/strong> I\u2019ll start from ingredients to connection. Exceptional quality panels, like those we have from LONGi, capture more energy compared to average-quality modules, especially in low-light conditions; together with all the other top tier elements and components that we use in our projects, they increase the overall efficiency of our projects by up to 10%, have longer life spans, guarantee better service and replacement.<\/p>\n Swift EPC execution from Enexus means quicker grid connection and earlier cash flow. Integrated O&M ensures stable performance and minimal downtime. Not least, bundling storage \u2013 BESS – improves grid stability and allows projects to sell when prices peak.<\/p>\n Together, these factors shorten payback periods and increase long-term profitability.<\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea:<\/strong> We concretely improve ROI by optimizing the Levelized Cost of Electricity \u00a0– LCOE – through technological superiority. Our advanced modules ensure higher energy density, which reduces Balance of System \u2013 BOS – costs like fewer trackers, cables, and less land area needed. Crucially, our technology maintains superior energy yield in low-light and high-temperature conditions, guaranteeing maximum lifetime kWh generation. This intrinsic LCOE advantage, paired with Enexus’s execution speed to ensure the fastest grid-connection and cash flow, delivers an industry-leading bankability profile and ROI.<\/p>\n The 20.4 MW hybrid solar + storage project in Gorj was presented as a milestone. What lessons from that project are shaping your next wave of developments?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan:<\/strong> Gorj proved that Romania is ready for hybrid projects. There are three important lessons: technically \u2013 integration of storage must be planned from day one, not added later; strategically \u2013 investors gained confidence that Romania can deliver complex projects at international standards; and relationally \u2013 success depends on choosing trusted partners who deliver on time and at quality, because in this business execution builds credibility. We are applying these learnings to scale hybrid solutions across 2025 and the future.<\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea:<\/strong> The Gorj hybrid project confirmed the critical bankability of integrated PV-storage solutions in the volatile Romanian market, a lesson now scaling all future developments. Our key takeaway is that coupling high-efficiency modules (like the Hi-MO 7) with BESS is vital for grid resilience and peak-price revenue capture, offering a hedge against grid unpredictability. This success has directly led to a massive 300 MW module supply deal, reinforcing our strategy with Enexus to prioritize large-scale, connection-ready hybrid projects across diverse Romanian regions for superior yield reliability.<\/p>\n How do you see the Romanian solar market evolving in the next five years, especially in terms of investor appetite, regulation, and competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan: <\/strong>Appetite will remain strong. Romania must almost double solar capacity by 2030 to meet EU targets. It is a good momentum that will keep our country attractive for another 3-5 years. Regulation is gradually improving, but the real shift will come from grid upgrades and digitalization. I expect competition to intensify, but partnerships between global tech providers and agile local players with integrative models, like Enexus, have the potential to dominate. Those who can combine speed, compliance, and quality will win.<\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea:<\/strong> Romania\u2019s investment appeal remains solid due to the EU’s 2030 solar targets, driving sustained momentum for new projects. The regulatory environment is evolving positively, particularly with the push for mandatory BESS integration and CfD auctions promoting bankable assets. Grid upgrades are critical, and our focus is providing high-efficiency technology like Hi-MO 7 and Hi-MO 9 modules, which maximize output and reduce strain. Success hinges on strategic alliances\u2014our partnership with agile, integrated EPCs like Enexus ensures the winning formula of speed, quality, and compliance in project delivery.<\/p>\n Alina Stefan – Chief Commercial Officer Enexus<\/em><\/p>\n Enexus grew tenfold in 2024 and now aims to reach 600 MW in 2025. What has fueled this growth, and what are some of the most important projects in your local portfolio?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan:<\/strong> Sure, these are record results for us, and they confirm that our integrated EPC model and investor orientation bring concrete results.<\/p>\n We are a company created in 2021 in Romania and during these years, growth came from three drivers: trust from Turkish and most recently international investors, speed of execution, and a clear focus on mid-size bankable projects – 5 to 150 MW. In 2024 we delivered five projects and contracted over 250 MW, including landmark developments in Gorj and D\u00e2mbovi\u021ba. Last year was also an important year for consolidating our team, beginning building a more resilient company governance and delivering on our most important promise: faster ROI for investors, from sustainable assets.<\/p>\n 2025 will scale that momentum, with over 350 MW in pipeline and projects across multiple regions, many of them from investors that are placing their capital with Enexus, for the second or third time.<\/p>\n Your model positions you as both EPC and investment enabler. How do you balance investor expectations for quick returns with the realities of long-term infrastructure development?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan:<\/strong> By aligning timelines and expectations early. First, we explain clearly the country landscape and particularities. Romania has an attractive mix of strategic location, skilled technical workforce, rising demand from industrial consumers for renewable energy investment, competitive solar LCOE, access to substantial EU funds, and a growing inflow of international capital. Investors we work with are not looking for quick wins, but well-thought-out projects, undertaken in the medium and long term and we are the solution for them.<\/p>\n And then, we explain how each stage: permits, financing, and construction impacts ROI. Afterwards we accelerate what we control: execution speed, procurement quality, grid connection. Investors see early milestones, such as faster commissioning, which builds confidence for the long-term horizon. It\u2019s about combining short-term wins with sustainable asset value.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve mentioned expansion into Turkey, Italy, and Ukraine. How does the Romanian experience help in shaping your strategy in other emerging markets?<\/strong><\/p>\n Alina \u0218tefan:<\/strong> Managing projects across borders demands a dual perspective. Technically, you must maintain the highest engineering, compliance, and safety standards. Culturally, you must adapt to local business environments, understand regulatory nuances, and respect the ways in which partnerships are built in each country.<\/p>\n Romania taught us how to combine global standards with local realities. Every emerging market has bottlenecks\u2014permitting in Turkey, grid resilience in Ukraine, regulatory complexity in Italy. What we bring from Romania is a playbook: engage early with investors, structure projects around realistic timeframes, and focus on bankability. That experience is transferable, and it\u2019s what makes the company so effective in the Black Sea region.<\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea – Country Manager LONGi Romania<\/em><\/p>\n LONGi highlights its Hi-MO 7 modules as having superior bifaciality and power temperature coefficients. How do these technical advantages play out in Romania\u2019s climate and grid conditions compared to cheaper alternatives?<\/strong><\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea:<\/strong> The superior bifaciality of our Hi-MO 7 modules is a major performance driver in Romania. By efficiently capturing sunlight reflected off the ground (albedo effect), especially in dusty or snow-covered areas, the modules achieve a substantial boost in overall energy yield compared to standard monofacial or lower-quality bifacial panels. Crucially, the excellent power temperature coefficient is engineered to combat efficiency losses during Romania\u2019s hot summer peaks. When panel temperature rises, a cheaper alternative rapidly loses power; however, the Hi-MO 7’s advanced cell technology minimizes this degradation. This translates directly to a lower Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for investors, maximizing their returns and ensuring a more stable, predictable power output that is essential for seamless grid integration in the dynamic local market.<\/p>\n How important is it for a company like LONGi to be transparent about traceability, bankability and financial results data, and what can LONGi provide to its customers in this regard?<\/strong><\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea: <\/strong>Transparency is central to LONGi\u2019s philosophy and one of the reasons we\u2019re trusted as the most bankable solar technology partner worldwide. For us, being open about traceability, bankability, and financial performance is not just about compliance \u2014 it\u2019s about confidence.<\/p>\n We share this information very openly \u2014 from third-party bankability reports to our financial performance \u2014 because we know how important it is, especially now that banks and investors are looking more closely at supplier reliability.<\/p>\n LONGi has consistently achieved top rankings across all major indicators \u2014 from Altman-Z scores to third party bankability ratings \u2014 and we communicate these results proactively through regular updates, industry reports, and direct customer engagement. By providing this level of clarity and proof, we help de-risk projects for our partners and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable solar industry overall.<\/p>\n LONGi is also active in hydrogen and broader energy solutions. Do you see synergies between your solar module business and potential future hydrogen projects in Romania or the wider region?<\/strong><\/p>\n Mirel Jarnea:<\/strong> We see profound synergies between our solar module business and the burgeoning green hydrogen sector in Romania. Our core mission, “Solar for Solar,” directly links both. For green hydrogen production, which is a national priority here, supported by NRRP funding, you need vast amounts of affordable, reliable renewable power to fuel the electrolyzers. Our high-efficiency modules are the ideal, low-LCOE power source for these dedicated hydrogen plants. By integrating our solar technology with our own hydrogen equipment and solutions business unit, we offer a complete, optimized, and bankable “solar-to-hydrogen” package. This comprehensive approach is essential for large-scale energy projects that stabilize the grid and serve hard-to-decarbonize industrial and transport sectors across Romania and Southeastern Europe.<\/p>\n Beyond our established solar technologies, LONGi is strategically moving into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS); expect market updates shortly. Our integrated PV + Storage + Hydrogen offering embodies the next phase of innovation, delivering smarter, cleaner, and more flexible energy solutions. This reflects our long-term vision to be a complete clean energy solution provider committed to global decarbonisation and net-zero targets.<\/p>\n *This interview was edited by Romania Insider for Enexus.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Romania\u2019s solar sector is entering a decisive phase, balancing immense potential with persistent grid and permitting challenges. In this exclusive Romania Insider interview, Alina \u0218tefan, Chief Commercial Officer at Enexus, and Mirel Jarnea, Country Manager of LONGi Rom\u00e2nia, discuss how their partnership is redefining solar investment and execution in one of Europe\u2019s fastest-growing renewable markets. 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