Alro has constantly invested in reducing pollution and its consumption of electricity, Dobra said, adding that the state should also grant aid to companies that make such investments.
Alro managing board chairman Marian Nastase argued that subsidies for green energy production impact competition and “distort” the market. “The question is whether we will survive,” he added.
Alro, which was privatized in 2002, switched to a loss of 170 million lei (EUR38.9 million) in 2012, versus profit a year earlier, hurt by higher electricity costs and declining demand.
The company bought green certificates of $44 million last year, and estimates green certificate costs will amount to $66 million in 2013.
Minister-delegate for Energy Constantin Nita said Thursday the Government would amend the green certificate legislation to reduce the value of the aid granted to renewable energy producers.
The Romanian government, as well as all EU member state governments which wanted to promote renewable energy, implemented several aid schemes. As green energy projects are costlier compared to conventional ones and the European Union set renewable energy targets to be met by 2020, member states had to apply aid schemes to support investors in the field.
Green energy producers receive a number of certificates depending on the generation technology they use and the amount of energy they produce. They sell green certificates to energy suppliers, who must ensure a certain amount of renewable energy for consumers.
The number of green certificates they bought indicates whether they met their quota or not. The affair entails expenses for energy suppliers, which transfer them to beneficiaries. (EUR1=RON4.3652)