Share:


The rural sustainable development through renewable energy. The case of Romania

    Mirela Ionela Aceleanu Affiliation
    ; Andreea Claudia Șerban Affiliation
    ; Diana Mihaela Țîrcă Affiliation
    ; Liana Badea Affiliation

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the importance of renewable energy and to assess the progress made by Romania comparing to European Union and to targets set by Community institutions. We consider that both economic issues such as job creation or reduction of import dependency, but also ecological issues including reducing greenhouse gas emissions are important in discussions about renewable energy in rural areas in Romania. By using linear regression it has been identified a strong correlation in Romania, for period 2004–2014, between share of renewable resources in gross final energy consumption and import dependency. Taking into account that energetic independence is a problem of great importance for each country, the paper aims to identify unused renewable energy potential in rural areas and also opportunities for developing renewable energy sector based on the resources that can be exploited with high efficiency, action that will generate economic and social positive effects. Our results reveal that Romania has a high development potential of rural areas using renewable energy because Romania has a high volume of renewable resources (sun, wind, water). Under these circumstances it is necessary to adopt the policies in order to support projects referring to these types of energy.

Keyword : green economy, rural economy, rural development, renewable energy, sustainable development, Romania

How to Cite
Aceleanu, M. I., Șerban, A. C., Țîrcă, D. M., & Badea, L. (2018). The rural sustainable development through renewable energy. The case of Romania. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 24(4), 1408-1434. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2017.1303650
Published in Issue
Aug 14, 2018
Abstract Views
2299
PDF Downloads
1625
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Alexandri, C.; Luca, L. 2012. The role of small farms in Romania and their future in the face of challenges of the CAP post 2013, Problems of Small Agriculture Holdings/Problemy Drobnych Gospodarstw Rolnych 1: 13–30.

Balitskiy, S.; Bilan, Y.; Strielkowski, W.; Štreimikienė, D. 2016. Energy efficiency and natural gas consumption in the context of economic development in the European Union, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 55: 156–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.10.053

Bigerna, S.; Bollino, C. A.; Micheli, S. 2016. Renewable energy scenarios for costs reductions in the European Union, Renewable Energy 96: 80–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.04.024

Biswas, W. K. 2012. The importance of industrial ecology in engineering education for sustainable development, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 13(2): 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371211211818

Burja, C., Burja, V. 2014. Sustainable development of rural areas: a challenge for Romania, Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 13(8): 1861–1871.

Capros, P.; Mantzos, L.; Parousos, L.; Tasios, N.; Klaassen, G.; Van Ierland, T. 2011. Analysis of the EU policy package on climate change and renewables, Energy Policy 39(3): 1476–1485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.12.020

Castro-Santos, L.; Martins, E.; Soares, C. G. 2016. Methodology to calculate the costs of a floating offshore renewable energy farm, Energies 9 (UNSP 324).

CEDEFOP. 2012. A strategy for green skills? [online], [cited 14 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/9067_en.pdf

CESE-ESC (Economic and Social Council). 2012. ESC opinion on the communication of commission: towords a job-rich recovery [online], [cited 20 October 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.ro.home

COMM/230. 1999. Preparing for Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, Commission Communication to the Council and the Parliament [online], [cited 12 July 2016]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/docs/com_1999_230_en.pdf

COMM. 2001. Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2001 on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market [online], [cited 12 July 2016]. Available from Internet: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/GA/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32001L0077

COMM./848. 2006. Renewable Energy Road Map. Renewable energies in the 21st century: building a more sustainable future. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament [online], [cited 01 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ebb-eu.org/legis/renewable%20energy%20roadmap%20summary%20impact%20assessment%20100107.pdf

COMM. 2009. Directive 2009/28/Ec of the European Parliament and of the Council [online], [cited 10 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.buildup.eu/sites/default/files/RES%20Directive%202009-28-EC.pdf and http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/res-policy/EurObservER-RES-Policy-Report-Article-22-Romania-report-EN.pdf

COMM. 2010. Europe 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth [online], [cited 20 October 2016]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/pdf/COMPLET%20EN%20BARROSO%20%20%20007%20-%20Europe%202020%20-%20EN%20version.pdf

COMM. 2012a. Renewable energy: a major player in the European energy market [online], [cited 20 October 2016] Available from Internet: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52012DC0271

COMM. 2012b. Towards a rich-job recovery, COM(2012)/173 final [online], [cited 20 October 2016]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/health/workforce/docs/communication_towards_job_rich_recovery_en.pdf

COMM/0169. 2013. A 2030 framework for climate and energy policies [online], [cited 25 October 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ipex.eu/IPEXL-WEB/dossier/document/COM20130169.do

COMM/200/01. 2014. Communication from the Commission – Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020 [online], [cited 25 October 2016]. Available from Internet: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2014:200:FULL&from=FR

COMM/015. 2014. A policy framework for climate and energy in the period from 2020 to 2030. Communication From The Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions [online], [cited 10 November 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.minind.ro/politica_industriala/COM_2014_15_en.pdf

COMM. 2015a. Closing the loop – An EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy, Brussels, 2.12.2015, COM(2015)614 [online], [cited 10 January 2017]. Available from Internet: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/DOC/?uri=CELEX:52015DC0614&from=en

COMM. 2015b. EU Energy in figures. Statistical Pocketbook [online], European Commission, Luxembourg [cited 10 January 2017]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/PocketBook_ENERGY_2015%20PDF%20final.pdf

Ecoven. 2016. Potențialul energetic solar al României [The solar energy potential of Romania] [online], [cited 15 December 2016]. Available from Internet: https://www.ecoven.ro/Articole/potentialul-energetic-solar-al-romaniei

Del Rio, P.; Burguillo, M. 2016. An empirical analysis of the impact of renewable energy deployment on local sustainability, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 13(6–7): 1314–1325.

Dimian, G.C.; Ileanu, B.; Jablonsky, J.; Fabry, J. 2013. Analysis of European labour market in the crisis context, Prague Economic Papers 22(1): 50–71. https://doi.org/10.18267/j.pep.440

EEA. 2016. Renewable energy in Europe 2016. Recent growth and knock-on effects [online].European Environment Agency, Luxembourg [cited 15 December 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/renewable-energy-in-europe-2016

Emergency Ordinance 88/2011. Official Monitor of Romania, no. 736 from 19th of October 2011.

EP (European Parliament). 2014. Report on green jobs initiative: exploiting the potential of the green economy in terms of jobs (2014/2238(INI)) [online], [cited 8 November 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A8-2015-0204+0+DOC+PDF+V0//RO

Ernst & Young. 2012. Renewable energy Attractiveness Indices country in 2012 [online], [cited 15 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.wall-street.ro/files/140872-358.pdf

Ernst & Young. 2015. Renewable country attractiveness index, Issue 45, September 2015 [online], [cited 12 December 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/RECAI-45-September-15-LR/$FILE/RECAI_45_Sept_15_LR.pdf

European Commission. 2016a. Public consultation on the Renewable Energy Directive for the period after 2020. Analysis of stakeholder views [online], [cited 12 January 2017]. Available from Internet: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/consultations/preparation-new-renewable-energy-directive-period-after-2020

European Commission. 2016b. Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast) [online], [cited 12 January 2017]. Available from Internet: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/1_en_act_part1_v7_1.pdf

European Commission. 2016c. Romania’s progress report on promoting and using energy from renewable sources, in accordance with article 22 of Directive 2009/28/EC [online], [cited 12 January 2017]. Available from Internet: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/renewable-energy/progress-reports

European Commission. 2016d. DG ENER, Energy Statistics, Country datasheets [online], [cited 15 January 2017]. Available from Internet: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/data-analysis/country

Eurostat. 2014. Official Statistics of European Union [online], [cited 12 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Eurostat. 2016. Official Statistics of European Union [online], [cited 15 December 2016]. Available from Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

Gavrilescu, M. 2008. Biomass power for energy and sustainable development, Environmental Engineering and Management Journal September/October 2008 7(5): 617–640.

Green Revolution. 2016. România, potențial solar de invidiat, dar neexploatat [Green Report, Romania-enviable solar potential, but unexploited] [online], [cited 20 December 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.green-report.ro/romania-potential-solar-de-invidiat-dar-neexploatat/ (in Romanian)

Holban-Oncioiu, I.; Oncioiu, F. R.; Dan, M. A.; Voda, A. Y.; Bocanete, O. I.; Mocanu, N. 2010. The importance of teaching about sustainable development in higher education, Quality Management In Higher Education 1: 135–137.

Hubbard, C.; Mishev, P.; Ivanova, N.; Luca, L. 2014. Semi-subsistence farming in Romania and Bulgaria: a survival strategy?, EuroChoices 13: 46–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/1746-692X.12052

ILO. 2011. Unleashing rural development through productive employment and decent work: building on 40 years of ILO work in rural areas, 310th Session, Geneva [online], [cited 18 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ilo.org/public/libdoc/ilo/GB/310/GB.310_ESP_1_engl.pdf

ILO. 2012. Working towards sustainable development: opportunities for decent work and social inclusion in a green economy [online]. International Labour Office, Geneva [cited 20 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/@publ/documents/publication/wcms_181836.pdf

ILO. 2015. Greening the rural economy and green jobs [online]. International Labour Office, Geneva, [cited 20 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_policy/documents/publication/wcms_437196.pdf

Iorio, M.; Corsale, A. 2010. Rural tourism and livelihood strategies in Romania, Journal of Rural Studies 26: 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2009.10.006

IPCC. 2011. Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources [online], [cited 17 July 2016]. Available from Internet: https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/special-reports/srren/SRREN_FD_SPM_final.pdf

IRENA. 2011. Renewable Energy Jobs: Status, Prospects & Policies [online]. IRENA working paper [cited 20 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.irena.org/documentdownloads/publications/renewableenergyjobs.pdf

Jernstrom, E.; Karvonen, V.; Kassi, T.; Kraslawski, A., Hallikas, J. 2017. The main factors affecting the entry of SMEs into bio-based industry, Journal of Cleaner Production 141: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.165

Karakul, A. K. 2016. Educating labour force for a green economy and renewable energy jobs in Turkey: a quantitave approach, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 63: 568–578. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.05.072

Kitzing, L.; Mitchell, C.; Morthorst, P. E. 2012. Renewable energy policies in Europe: converging or diverging?, Energy Policy 51: 192–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.08.064

Kolleck, N. 2016. Uncovering influence through social network analysis: the role of schools in education for sustainable development, Journal of Education Policy 31: 308–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2015.1119315

Law 220/2008. Official Monitor of Romania, Part I, no.577 of 13 August 2010.

Liou, J. J. H; Tamasaitiene, J.; Zavadskas, E. K.; Tzeng, G. H. 2016. New hybrid COPRAS-G MADM Model for improving and selecting suppliers in green supply chain management, International Journal of Production Research 54(1): 114–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2015.1010747

Mardani, A.; Jusoh, A.; Zavadskas, E. K.; Cavallaro, F.; Khalifah, Z. 2015. Sustainable and renewable energy: an overview of the application of multiple criteria decision making techniques and approaches, Sustainability 7(10): 13947–13984. https://doi.org/10.3390/su71013947

Ministry of Economy. 2010. Trade and Business Environment–Romania, NL Agency-Netherlands, EN-ERO-Romania, 2010, Master Plan. Biomass for Romania, Master Plan [Biomasa pentru România] [online], [cited 25 September 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.minind.ro/biomasa/Plan_de_Actiune_pentru_Biomasa.pdf (in Romanian)

Most, D.; Fichtner, W. 2010. Renewable energy sources in European energy supply and interactions with emission trading, Energy Policy 38(6): 2898–2910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.01.023

Nasirov, S.; Silva, C.; Agostini, C. A. 2015. Investors’ perspectives on barriers to the deployment of renewable energy sources in Chile, Energies 8(5): 3794–3814. https://doi.org/10.3390/en8053794

National Strategic Rural Framework 2014–2030 [online]. 2014 [cited 10 January 2017]. Available from Internet: http://www.acad.ro/forumuri/doc2013/d0701-02StrategieCadrulNationalRural.pdf

NIS. 2016. Indicatori de dezvoltare durabilă [Sustainable Development Indicators] [online], National Institute of Statistics, Romania [cited 20 December 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.insse.ro/cms/ro/content/indicatori-de-dezvoltare-durabila and http://www.insse.ro/CMS/FILES/WEB_IDD_BD_RO/INDEX.HTM (in Romanian)

NIS. 2010. General Agriculture Census. National Institute of Statistics, Romania.

Nishida, K. 2016. Rural-urban interdependence, structural change, and development, Economics Letters 142(5): 83–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2016.03.013

OECD. 2012. Linking renewable energy to rural development [online]. OECD green growth studies, OECD Publishing [cited 20 July 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/urban-rural-and-regional-development/linking-renewable-energy-to-rural-development_9789264180444-en#page134

EUR-Lex. 2012. Official Journal of the European Union OJ 326, 26.10.2012. Consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [online], [cited 25 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=OJ%3AC%3A2012%3A326%3ATOC

Otiman, P. I. 2012. Romania’s current agrarian structure: a great (and unsolved) social and economic problem of the country, Revista Română de Sociologie, Bucharest, XXIII (5–6): 339–360.

Pasakarnis, G.; Morley, D.; Maliene, V. 2013. Rural development and challenges establishing sustainable land use in Eastern European countries, Land Use Policy 30(1): 703–710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2012.05.011

PNAER. 2010. Planul Național de Acțiune în Domeniul Energiei din Surse Regenerabile – România [National Action Plan for Renewable Energy – Romania] [online], [cited 26 July 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.minind.ro/energie/PNAER_final.pdf (in Romanian)

Ragwitz, M.; Schade, W.; Breitschopf, B.; Walz R.; Helfrich, N. 2009. The impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the European Union, EmployRES, Report TREN/D1/474/2006 [online], [cited 10 August 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.isi.fraunhofer.de/isi-wAssets/docs/e/de/publikationen/2009_employ_res_report.pdf

Roggeri, P.; Belward, A.; Mayaux, P.; Hugh, E.; Brink, A.; Dubois, G.; Peedell, S. and Olivier, L. 2011. Sustainable development in developing countries: the African, Caribbean and Pacific Observatory, Technological and Economic Development of Economy 16(4): 736–752. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2010.45

Romanian Business Digest. 2014. Wind Energy and other renewable energy sources in Romania [online], [cited 17 November 2016]. Available from Internet: http://rbd.doingbusiness.ro/articles/wind-ener-gy-and-other-renewable-energy-sources-in-romania/2277

Salasan, C.; Fritzsch, J. 2009. The role of agriculture for overcoming rural poverty in Romania (No. 121), Discussion Paper.

Schouten, M. A. H.; Van der Heine, C. M.; Heijman, W. J. M.; Opdam, P. F. M. 2012. A resilience-based policy evaluation framework: application to European rural development policies, Ecological Economics 81(9): 165–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.07.004

Stan, M. I; Vintila, D. F.; Tenea, D. D. 2016. The importance of using renewable wind energy for the development of Romanian rural areas, Urbanism Architecture Constructions 7(1): 21–30.

Streimikiene, D.; Strielkowski, W.; Bilan, Y.; Mikalauskas, I. 2016. Energy dependency and sustainable regional development in the Baltic States-a review, Geographica Pannonica 20(2): 79–87. https://doi.org/10.5937/GeoPan1602079S

Strielkowski, W. & Höschle, F. 2015. Evidence for economic convergence in the EU: the analysis of past EU enlargements, Technological and Economic Development of Economy 22(4): 617–630. https://doi.org/10.3846/20294913.2014.890138

Strietska-Ilina, O.; Hofmann, Ch.; Duran-Haro, M.; Jeon, Sh. 2011. Skills for green jobs: a global view: Synthesis Report Based on 21 country studies [online], [cited 20 November 2016]. ILO, Geneva, Available from Internet: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_159585.pdf

Transelectrica. 2016. Evolution of gross domestic electricity consumption of Romania, January 2016 [Evoluția consumului intern brut de energie electrică din România în luna Ianuarie] (in Romanian) [online], [cited 17 January 2017]. Available from Internet: http://www.transelectrica.ro/documents/10179/114485/1.Evolutia+consumului+intern+brut+de+energie+electrica+din+Romania+in+luna+ianuarie+2016.pdf/f44d8f03-f9bf-427f-a827-7eecd7d1fb91

UNEP. 2016. Global trends in renewable energy investment [online], [cited 15 December 2016]. Frankfurt School-UNEP Centre/BNEF. Available from Internet: http://fs-unep-centre.org/sites/default/files/publications/globaltrendsinrenewableenergyinvestment2016lowres_0.pdf

United Nations. 2015. Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development [online], [cited 28 November 2016]. Available from Internet: http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E

Urbaniec, M. 2015. Towards sustainable development through ecoinnovations: drivers and barriers in Poland, Economics and Sociology 8(4): 179–190. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-789X.2015/8-4/13

Van der Ploeg, J. D.; Renting, H.; Brunori, G.; Knickel, K.; Mannion, J.; Marsden, T.; de Roest, K.; Sevilla-Guzman, E.; Ventura, F. 2000. Rural development: from practices and policies towards theory, Sociologia Ruralis 40(4): 391–408. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9523.00156

Wei, M.; Patadia, S.; Kammen, D. 2010. Putting renewables and energy efficiency to work: how many jobs can the clean energy industry generate in the US?, Energy Policy 38(2): 919–931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2009.10.044

Xu, Z.; Dongkun, L. 2017. Driving force of rising renewable energy in China: environment, regulation and employment, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 68(1): 48–56.

Zografakis, N.; Sifaki, E.; Pagalou, M.; Nikitaki, G.; Psarakis, V.; Tsagarakis, K. P. 2010. Assessment of public acceptance and willingness to pay for renewable energy sources in Crete, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 14(3): 1088–1095. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2009.11.009