Casa Verde Batteries 2026: Consolidated Guide & New Scoring — NRG-IA

The Casa Verde Batteries 2026 program is entering a new phase following public consultation. On September 9, the Ministry of Environment published the consolidated draft of the Funding Guide, introducing rules that differ significantly from those released in August: the minimum battery capacity has been reduced from 12 to 10 kWh , the maximum cost standard has increased from 1,250 to 1,500 RON/kWh , and the capacity of the existing photovoltaic system has been completely removed from the scoring system. However, the most critical change for applicants is the new ranking architecture. The 100 available points are now split equally between the applicant's own financial contribution (up to 50 points) and the storage system's capacity (up to 50 points) . Consequently, the program will not return to a "first-come, first-served" system where registration speed decides the winners. Applications will be ranked in descending order of their scores, with the submission date and time serving only as a final tiebreaker. The version published on September 9 remains a consolidated draft resulting from public consultation. The official approval order and the registration session start date have not yet been published. Entry Threshold Drops to 10 kWh Lowering the threshold from 12 to 10 kWh opens the program to a wider range of residential systems. At the same time, the maximum eligible cost standard rises to RON 1,500 per kWh of installed capacity. At the minimum capacity, the calculation aligns perfectly with the maximum subsidy cap: 10 kWh × RON 1,500/kWh equals RON 15,000 . However, the funding from the Environmental Fund Administration (AFM) can cover a maximum of 75% of the total project value and cannot exceed the cap of RON 15,000, VAT included. The remaining balance must be covered by the beneficiary. At the same time, the new technical requirements are stricter. The system must be brand new, compatible with the existing PV installation, and capable of being automatically charged from surplus solar generation. The battery must offer at least 5,000 charge-discharge cycles , a minimum five-year warranty, and a Battery Management System (BMS) for operational monitoring and protection. Approved technologies include Li-Ion, LiFePO4, Na-Ion, or equivalent lead-free solutions, while lead-acid batteries are ineligible. Co-financing Can Account for Half the Score The new scoring formula turns the financial contribution into a decisive criterion. The score for co-financing is calculated by dividing the applicant's contribution by the requested AFM funding, multiplying the result by 30, and capping it at 50 points. A project where the beneficiary contributes at least 25% and the AFM covers 75% receives 10 points under this criterion. With an equal 50/50 split between co-financing and public funding, the score rises to 30 points . To secure the maximum 50 points, the co-financing must be at least 5/3 of the AFM funding. If the project is funded exclusively from these two sources, this ratio translates to a co-financing share of 62.5% of the total project value and an AFM funding share of 37.5%. Co-financing is therefore not just a participation requirement. It can represent half of the project's entire score. This mechanism favors applicants who can reduce the amount requested from the state and cover a larger share of the investment from their own funds. Panel Capacity No Longer Matters in the Ranking One of the most significant adjustments made after the consultation concerns the existing PV installation. In the August draft, panel capacity could yield up to 20 points, favoring households with larger solar systems. The consolidated version completely eliminates this criterion. For prosumers with 3, 5, or 6 kW installations, this change removes a disadvantage that had no direct connection to the performance of the requested battery. A larger PV system no longer automatically provides an edge in the competition for funding. The 20 freed-up points have been redistributed: the maximum score for co-financing increases from 40 to 50 points, while the battery capacity can also yield up to 50 points. A 20 kWh Battery Yields the Maximum Score for Capacity The second criterion is much simpler: each kWh of requested capacity is worth 2.5 points . A 10 kWh battery, the minimum for eligibility, receives 25 points. At 15 kWh, the score reaches 37.5 points, and at 20 kWh, the maximum of 50 points is achieved . The initial draft required up to 40 kWh to reach the maximum capacity score. Lowering this threshold to 20 kWh aligns the mechanism much more closely with typical residential system sizes. However, a clear incentive remains: up to 20 kWh, every additional kWh increases the score. The battery size is not scaled in the scoring formula against household consumption or PV production. A prosumer focused solely on maximizing their score might thus be incentivized to opt for a larger battery than their actual energy profile requires. For…