Nofar Energy has started supplying electricity from its 146 MW Ghimpati solar power plant in Romania’s Giurgiu county, increasing the Israeli developer’s operational solar capacity in the country to 315 MW. The facility has been energised and is gradually raising deliveries to the national grid.
Ghimpati commissioning and Romania’s generation needs
The commissioning adds to Romania’s solar generation base as the country seeks additional domestic production. At the same time, growth in midday renewable output is increasing requirements for storage and flexible grid operation. This shift affects how solar output aligns with demand patterns across the day.
Nofar is installing a utility-scale battery at Ghimpati to support energy management and reduce losses of solar generation. The storage system is also intended to shift electricity production into hours with higher value.
Battery role in daytime pricing and evening demand
The storage component is described as important in a market where new solar additions are beginning to depress daytime prices. Evening demand remains exposed to costs associated with thermal generation and electricity imports. Under those conditions, shifting output can change when generation is delivered.
Since entering Romania in 2021, Nofar has built a development portfolio comprising 849 MW of solar capacity and 2.27 GWh of battery storage. The combined pipeline positions the company among larger renewable-plus-storage developers in the Romanian market.
Procurement for Giurgiu county storage projects
In May, Nofar signed a limited notice to proceed and a procurement agreement worth approximately €80mn with an undisclosed battery supplier. The deal covers two projects in Giurgiu county with a combined storage volume of around 860 MWh.
The higher power-rated installation will be developed at Iepuresti with 160 MW/340 MWh, providing slightly more than two hours of discharge duration. Ghimpati will host a 120 MW/520 MWh system, giving it more than four hours of storage capacity.
Different configurations for balancing and energy shifting
The two battery configurations are linked to different commercial roles. Iepuresti is positioned for short-duration balancing and high-power market events, while Ghimpati is set up for longer energy shifting. The latter is also intended to reduce curtailment and extend solar delivery beyond daylight hours.
As more photovoltaic projects connect to the grid, Romania’s storage market is expected to increase in value. Key issues highlighted include connection rights, balancing-market access, congestion exposure, and how durable intraday price spreads remain over time.
While Ghimpati’s solar commissioning provides immediate generation volume, monetisation efficiency depends on the battery system’s operation. A 120 MW/520 MWh configuration supports running the project as a managed power asset rather than an intermittently producing solar plant.
