In Romania, the Ministry of Energy has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Energy, Societatea Complexul Energetic "Valea Jiului" SA, American Biocarbon Delaware LLC (ABD), and its Romanian subsidiary AAR Biocarbons s.r.l. to supply torrefied biomass to the Paroșeni coal-fired power plant located in the Jiului Valley (Valea Jiului).
According to a statement, this initiative represents an important step in the implementation of the economic, social, and environmental development strategy of the Jiului Valley for the period 2022-2030, approved by Decision no. 901/2022.
Through this strategic collaboration, we not only align ourselves with the European goals of decarbonization and sustainability, but we also manage to offer new economic and social perspectives for the Jiului Valley. We are proud to work alongside our American partners to transform a historic sector into an innovative and ecological one, said Sebastian-Ioan Burduja, Romanian Minister of Energy.
Establish a framework for the transition from coal
The purpose of this MoU is to establish a framework for collaboration to transform the Paroșeni Thermal Power Plant into a modern facility, using torrefied biomass instead of coal.
This initiative will contribute substantially to the reduction of fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, aligning Romania with the objectives of sustainability and decarbonization at the European level.
By using torrefied biomass fuel produced from woody and agricultural biomass, this project will reduce dependence on fossil fuels and promote the use of local renewable resources.
The benefits of this project are multiple and significant. In addition to contributing to environmental protection and reducing the carbon footprint, the memorandum stimulates the economic development of the Valea Jiului region.
The future transformation of the Paroșeni thermoelectric plant will be able to ensure the maintenance of jobs and create new employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
Also, this partnership contributes to the diversification and energy security of Romania, ensuring a fair and balanced transition from mining to clean and renewable energy sources.
