Submission for consideration by Romania Ministry of Energy.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International.
1 About Our Consortia
1.1 Negrițoiu & Partners (MNP)
Negrițoiu & Partners (MNP) is a multidisciplinary think-tank and management consulting firm headquartered in Romania (Bucharest), with deep roots and connections to Romania and United States. We differentiate ourselves from other consulting firms by performing vertically integrated market analysis and by publishing, in the open, market research and editorial opinions at negritoiu.ro.
A typical feasibility study takes into consideration only the existing market and vendor landscape. A vertically integrated market analysis identifies where the largest costs and technology blockers are, such that, if addressed, they would decrease the cost structure and/or implementation timeline by an order of magnitude.
The firm then advises clients and entrepreneurs on where to spin-up startup investments that address those pain-points which create an outsized market opportunity. Where possible market research is “open sourced” by sharing publicly under Creative Common license.
The firm draws from a talent pool of expats and emigrants with bi-continental experience, for example graduates of Tudor Vianu High School and Politehnica University who emigrated to the United States over the last 30 years and still hold ties with Romania.
1.2 CityStructure Group
CityStructure is a technology company headquartered in the United States (San Francisco, CA) specializing in automated feasibilities studies using digital twin systems.
Started in 2012 as a consulting and services firm to execute feasibility studies for residential and commercial developments, CityStructure rode and Cloud and AI technology waves to create digital twins and enable instant generation of feasibility studies.
For example, https://www.citystructure.com/zoning lets anyone generate instantly a feasibility study for real estate development opportunities in California. Without CityStructure, a real estate developer or homeowner would have to hire an architect, and it would require two weeks of the architect’s time and cost $5,000 in billable hours.
CityStructure has reduced by 10x both the time and the cost to perform feasibility studies real estate development and was awarded the top prize by the Mayor and City Council of San Francisco at the 2023 “AI Hackathon for San Francisco”.
CityStructure is moving to automate more complex feasibility studies related to climate change (such as wildfires impact and mitigations of powerlines in California) and clean energy (placement of energy storage solutions for solar and wind farms).
1.3 Contributors to Expression of Interest
Mișu Negrițoiu, Managing Director (CV in Annex)
Ștefan Negrițoiu, Principal Consultant (CV in Annex)
Marius Popa, Principal Consultant (CV in Annex)
Vladimir Necula, Analyst (CV in Annex)
1.4 Relevant Expertise
Our consortia have in-house resources for Spatial Planning and GIS Team (as defined in 3.2.4) and Support and Specialized Roles (as defined in 3.2.5). We would partner with others for the Core Technical Team (as defined in 3.2.2) and the Environmental and Social Team (as defined in 3.2.3)
1.5 Ronergie: Romania Saves Europe with Abundant Energy
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022 and the dramatic U.S. – E.U. – China geopolitical volatility started in Feb 2025, our consortia was motivated to “shoot for the moon” and imagine a world where Europe is energy independent by eliminating the dependence on all natural resources outside Europe to produce energy.
In parallel to bidding for this Ministry of Energy OSW initiative, we are launching a challenge to all those interested in exploring an innovative and novel perspective: Romania not only becomes energy independent but has such abundance of cheap energy that it can export to the rest of Europe thus relieving it of the dependence of on natural resources from adversaries.
This challenge is a Research and Development “moonshot goal” to overcome technology obstacles with renewable energy like geothermal, solar, wind and nuclear to increase production and reduce costs by 100x. We are calling this challenge Ronergie.
2 Activities Not Included in Announcement
Requirement: “Propose activities not included in this letter that you consider necessary for the identification and establishment of offshore wind perimeters.”
2.1 National Partnerships
2.1.1 Partner with Ministry of Education to create Local Opportunities for Romanian Higher Education Talent
In May 2025, Ministry of Education published Raport de diagnostic al educației și cercetării din România (Raportul QX) which identifies RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) as the top candidate for reform because of the large imbalance between local talent graduating from lower stages of the educational system and lack of utilization of this talent locally which leads to “brain drain.”
In parallel with the selection of a commercial vendor to execute the feasibility study activities outlined in the World Bank study, the Ministry of Energy should partner with the Ministry of Education to explicitly advertise these activities to students in local universities as opportunities for research and PhD thesis. Ministry of Energy can connect local talent like students and professors who engage in the work with vendors involved in the OSW initiative thus providing opportunities for talent to stay local.
To maintain the delivery timeline, we are not suggesting that this partnership replace the typical tender process,. However, it’s a great opportunity to both utilize local talent and broaden political support (the more people involved across the overall society, the higher the likelihood for support).
2.1.2 Partner with Ministry of Environment for Environmental Impact Activities
Some activities related to environmental impact are of dual use to both Ministry of Environment initiatives as well as the present Ministry of Energy OSW initiative. Active partnerships could result in additional funding, access to more talent and broader political support for the OSW initiative.
2.1.3 Open-Source Research and Datasets
OSW initiatives are incredibly multi-disciplinary, and the technology is constantly advancing. The more brains exploring this initiative the better, especially during the feasibility study phase. Even if a single vendor is selected to perform the feasibility study, the Ministry of Energy should publish all resulting research and datasets on https://data.gov.ro or Portal GIS – Ministerul Mediului, Apelor și Pădurilor, as soon as they are available. This broadens the local and exposure international exposure of the initiative and permits vendors who are not directly involved in the feasibility study to contribute in parallel.
For example, The Crown Estate Open Data Portal for Offshore Wind in the UK.
2.2 Technology Applications
2.2.1 AI-powered site optimization
Advanced machine learning algorithms analyze millions of potential turbine configurations to maximize energy production while minimizing wake effects and costs. Research:
- Machine Learning Solutions for Offshore Wind Farms: A Review of Applications and Impacts
- Using machine learning to design more efficient offshore wind farms | The Alan Turing Institute
- Evaluation of wind farm efficiency and wind turbine wakes at the Nysted offshore wind farm
- Artificial Intelligence Reveals Benefits to Wind Industry | NREL
Applications:
- Ørsted’s Hornsea 2 project in UK employed wake optimization algorithms (source).
- Vattenfall’s Hollandse Kust Zuid incorporated to optimize cable routing, saving €10-15M in electrical infrastructure costs (source).
2.2.2 Digital twin development
Digital twins create real-time virtual replicas of offshore wind farms, integrating sensor data with physics-based models to predict performance and maintenance needs. Research:
- Industrial digital twins in offshore wind farms | Energy Informatics | Full Text
- Can Digital Twins Ease Offshore Wind Woes? – Tech Insights
- The Global Atlas for Siting Parameters Project – WindEnergy
Applications
- Equinor’s Hywind Scotland floating wind farm pioneered comprehensive digital twin implementation, reducing unplanned downtime through predictive maintenance (source).
- The Dogger Bank project in the UK is developing digital twins for each of its 3.6 GW phases, incorporating aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, and structural models (source).
- RWE’s Kaskasi wind farm in Germany uses digital twins to optimize floating platform movements, improving energy capture in variable sea conditions.
2.2.3 Floating LiDAR deployment
Floating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems provide accurate wind measurements at hub heights at a lower cost than fixed platforms. Cost for Floating LiDAR are on the order of millions per year for each, so they are placed strategic locations, not in a dense grid. This makes it cheaper than installing a fixed tower the height of the hub. Research:
- Doppler Lidar–Based Wind-Profile Measurement System for Offshore Wind-Energy and Other Marine Boundary Layer Applications (2012)
- Deployments of Floating LiDAR Systems (2018)
Applications
- Shell’s Eolien Flottant de Groix project in France used EOLOS floating LiDAR to characterize wind conditions. Note, project was later abandoned.
- The New York Bight offshore wind areas employed floating LiDAR units simultaneously, saving approximately $60 million compared to fixed meteorological towers (source, bid).
2.2.4 Satellite altimetry integration
Satellite altimetry data from missions like Sentinel-3 and Jason-3 provides long-term wind speed records across vast ocean areas, combining remote sensing data with ground measurements for comprehensive resource mapping. Research:
- Enhancing offshore wind resource assessment with LIDAR-validated reanalysis datasets: A case study in Gujarat, India – ScienceDirect
- Global Offshore Wind Turbine Dataset – Nature
Applications:
- The Baltic Eagle wind farm used satellite altimetry measurements which are highly correlated with, yet cheaper than in-situ measurements (source).
- Malaysia used multi-mission satellite altimetry data extracted from Radar Altimeter Database Systems and validated by buoy measurements from two offshore sites with a high correlation coefficient (source)
- The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) uses satellite altimetry to pre-screen potential wind energy areas (source).
2.3 Economic Analysis
2.3.1 LCOE spatial mapping
Detailed Levelized Cost of Energy mapping (creating detailed cost variation maps across potential perimeters beyond basic feasibility) visualizes economic viability across potential development areas by integrating wind resources, water depth, distance to shore, and grid connection costs. Research:
Applications:
- The Netherlands’ Hollandse Kust (noord) tender process included government-prepared LCOE maps showing variations across the 700 km² zone, enabling developers to optimize bid strategies (source, source).
- Denmark’s Thor offshore wind project provided LCOE visualizations incorporating seabed conditions, resulting in more competitive bids.
- The ScotWind leasing round published LCOE heat maps for 74 potential sites, helping developers identify the 20 most economically attractive areas for detailed investigation (controversy).
2.3.2 Financial sensitivity modeling
Comprehensive financial models analyze how changes in key parameters like weighted average cost of capital (WACC), capacity factors, and operational costs impact project returns. Research:
Applications:
- The Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts conducted sensitivity analyses showing that reducing WACC decreased required electricity prices, informing their Power Purchase Agreement negotiations.
- Japan’s Kitakyushu floating wind demonstration modeled many financial scenarios, identifying that port infrastructure investments could reduce LCOE.
- The Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the UK used Monte Carlo simulations to optimize financing structure.
2.3.3 Supply chain assessment considering US – EU – China tariff volatility
Systematic evaluation of regional manufacturing capabilities, port infrastructure, and vessel availability ensures realistic project execution planning especially given the US – EU – China trade tariff volatility started in 2025.
2.4 Environmental Tools
2.4.1 Quantitative cumulative impact modeling
Advanced modeling tools like ECUME and SYMPHONY quantify combined effects from multiple wind farms on marine ecosystems. Research:
Applications:
- The Belgian offshore wind zone used ECUME to assess cumulative impacts across nine wind farms, identifying critical thresholds for harbor porpoise displacement (source, source).
- Sweden’s Kriegers Flak project applied SYMPHONY modeling to evaluate cumulative noise impacts with neighboring Danish and German wind farms (source).
2.4.2 Real-time wildlife monitoring systems
AI-powered cameras and radar systems detect approaching birds and bats, automatically adjusting turbine operations to minimize collisions. Research:
- Real-time bird detection and risk control in wind farms (Black Sea)
- Ørsted invests in Spoor, enters technology development partnership to improve birdlife data from offshore wind farms
- Pilots autonomous glider survey – Equinor
- New study probes impact of blackened wind turbine blades | RenewEconomy
Applications:
- IdentiFlight cameras reduce eagle collisions through automated curtailment (source).
- Vattenfall’s Aberdeen Bay project uses ROBIN radar systems detecting bird flocks, triggering operational adjustments that reduced collision risks during migration periods (source).
2.4.3 Seasonal restriction mapping
Detailed temporal analysis identifies periods requiring operational constraints for environmental protection. Research:
Applications
- The Block Island Wind Farm implemented adaptive monitoring (source).
- Taiwan’s Changhua offshore wind farms mapped white dolphin movement patterns, establishing buffer zones active during breeding seasons (source).
- The Rampion wind farm off England created multi-layer seasonal maps incorporating fish spawning, bird migration, and marine mammal breeding cycles, to minimize ecological disruption while maintaining availability (source, source).
2.4.4 Climate resilience modeling
Long-term environmental change modeling ensures sites remain viable throughout 25-30 year project lifespans. Research:
- €3 million research project reveals how seabirds avoid offshore wind farms – Vattenfall
- Offshore wind turbines vulnerable to Category 5 hurricane gusts (2017)
Applications:
- Japan’s Fukushima floating wind projects incorporated earthquake and tsunami resilience modeling (source).
- Vattenfall goes the extra mile for dolphins in Denmark
- Equinor NORCE conclude eDNA pilot study at Hywind Scotland Floating Wind Farm
3 Number of experts necessary to carry out perimeter study
Requirement: “Based on the firms’ experience in similar activities, specify the amount of experts, general expertise profiles and relevant experience needed for each role that you consider necessary to carry out the study.”
3.1 Summary
Romanian perimeter study requires 19-25 experts across wind resource, marine biology, engineering, GIS, and stakeholder engagement disciplines, working for 50,000-65,000 hours for a total approx. cost of €4-5M.
3.1.1 Why Ministry of Energy Perimeter Study Requires 19-25+ Experts
Romania Government’s study is different because it’s a government-led spatial planning exercise to identify ALL suitable areas across the entire Black Sea EEZ. The Romania study must deliver:
- Legal defensibility for government decisions affecting €billions in investments
- Social license through comprehensive stakeholder engagement
- Investment-grade data to attract international developers
- Environmental compliance meeting EU directives
- Regional coordination as first Black Sea country
Additional experts are needed because:
- Multi-Site Analysis at National Scale
- Analyzing 76 GW of potential across thousands of km² (vs. single 1-2 GW site)
- Comparing and ranking multiple perimeters simultaneously
- Creating standardized assessment criteria for future competitive tenders
- Stakeholder Engagement Requirements
- Stakeholder Engagement Manager + 2 Local Liaisons (3 experts)
- Running multiple public consultations
- Managing inter-ministerial coordination
- Engaging fishing communities, environmental NGOs, military, shipping industry
- SenMap Methodology Implementation
- Additional GIS Specialists (2-3 experts)
- Complex multi-layer sensitivity mapping
- Integration of social and environmental data
- Creating publicly accessible interactive maps
- Regulatory Compliance and Government Coordination
- Legal/Regulatory Advisor + Maritime Spatial Planning Expert (2 experts)
- Ensuring compliance with Law 121/2024
- Coordinating with ANRE, ACROPO, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Defense
- Preparing government decision documentation
- Enhanced Environmental Assessment
- Marine Mammal Specialist + Ornithologist + Additional Ecologists (4-5 experts)
- Black Sea’s unique biodiversity requires specialized expertise
- Natura 2000 site integration
- Cumulative impact assessment across multiple sites
- Romanian Context and Documentation
- Romanian Context Experts + Translation Services (2-3 experts)
- All documentation in Romanian and English
- Local knowledge of Black Sea conditions
- Cultural and political sensitivity
3.1.2 Why Developer-Initiated Feasibility Studies Typically Use 7 Experts
Most offshore wind studies are developer-initiated feasibility studies for a single, pre-selected site. These typically involve:
- Wind Resource Analyst – Assesses wind data for one specific area
- Marine Engineer – Evaluates technical feasibility
- Environmental Consultant – Conducts basic environmental screening
- Geotechnical Specialist – Reviews existing seabed data
- Electrical Engineer – Identifies grid connection point
- Project Manager – Coordinates the team
- Financial Analyst – Calculates project economics
What these studies DON’T do:
- No comprehensive stakeholder engagement
- No multi-site comparison or optimization
- No detailed environmental surveys
- No government coordination across multiple agencies
- No public consultation process
- No integration with national maritime spatial planning
- Limited to desktop analysis of existing data
3.1.3 Real-World Validation
Looking at comparable government-led studies:
Denmark’s Screening Study (2020)
- 18 experts over 18 months
- Identified 6 new areas for 10 GW development
- Similar scope to Romania’s requirements
Netherlands Site Characterization Program
- 22 experts for Hollandse Kust zones
- Government-led pre-investigation
- Reduced to 7-expert teams for individual site studies later
UK Round 4 Celtic Sea Assessment
- 25+ experts for Crown Estate
- Covered similar 4 GW floating wind potential
- Extensive stakeholder engagement program
A 7-expert desktop study simply cannot meet these requirements. The additional experts aren’t “nice to have” – they’re essential for: avoiding future legal challenges, preventing social conflicts, ensuring environmental protection, Meeting NRRP milestone requirements and establishing Romania as credible offshore wind market.
While a 19-25 expert team costs €4-5 million vs. €1-2 million for basic studies, this investment de-risks €10+ billion in future investments, accelerates development by 2-3 years, reduces developer costs by €20-30 million per GW and prevents costly mistakes and project failures.
Given the 76 GW potential and first-mover advantage in the Black Sea, comprehensive upfront investment in proper spatial planning represents prudent government policy aligned with international best practices.
The total Team Costs (section 3.2.1) + Project costs (section 5.1) of €6-7M for the perimeter study, follow the Ministry of Energy guidance that activities involved in this study will use existing, available information and no EIA or similar detailed analysis is expected.
The costs proposed here are in the same ballpark as the costs:
- estimated by BVG Associates at Wind farm costs – Guide to an offshore wind farm (line item “Engineering and Consultancy” part of “Development and project management” category)
- estimated by World Bank in Offshore Wind Roadmap for Romania (line item “Design” part of the “Project Management & Other DevEx”)
3.2 Expert Team Composition and Person-Hours Breakdown
3.2.1 Total Team Summary
Total Team Size: approx. 19-32 professionals (not all full-time simultaneously)
Total Person-Hours: 50,000-65,000 hours over 16 months
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE): 19-25 FTE positions over project duration
Average Monthly Effort: 3,125-4,060 hours/month
Total Approx. Cost: €4-5 million
Based on the comprehensive research and international best practices, here’s the detailed breakdown of experts and person-hours required for Romania’s offshore wind perimeter identification study:
3.2.2 Core Technical Team (40-50% of total effort)
This involves quantifying wind potential using meteorological data, climate models, and potentially site-specific measurements. Observations of the wind speed at heights relevant for wind power are sparse, especially offshore, but with emerging aid from advanced statistical methods, it may be possible to derive information regarding wind profiles using surface observations. The assessment must evaluate average wind speeds, directional distribution, gust intensity, and seasonal characteristics to identify high-potential zones with favorable capacity factors.
Key developments: Advanced machine learning methods are now being used for coastal wind profile predictions across major offshore wind regions including the North Sea and Baltic Sea, utilizing ERA5 reanalysis data for spatial predictions.
| Role | No. of Experts | Duration (Months) | Hours/ Month | Total Hours | Key Responsibilities |
| Offshore Wind Technical Lead/Project Director | 1 | 16 | 160 | 2,560 | Overall coordination, technical decisions, regulatory liaison |
| Wind Resource Assessment Specialists | 1-2 | 12 | 160 | 3,840 | Wind data analysis, capacity factor calculations |
| Marine/Oceanographic Engineers | 1-3 | 10 | 160 | 4,800 | Bathymetry, wave/current assessment, metocean analysis |
| Geotechnical Engineers | 1-2 | 8 | 160 | 2,560 | Seabed analysis, foundation feasibility |
| Electrical/Grid Integration Engineers | 1-2 | 6 | 160 | 1,920 | Grid connection analysis*, cable routing |
| Subtotal | 5-11 | 15,680 |
*This involves analyzing connection alternatives to Romania’s transmission grid, including potential onshore evacuation points, network capacity assessments, and submarine cable route options. The analysis must consider existing transmission infrastructure operated by Transelectrica and potential required upgrades.
3.2.3 Environmental and Social Team (25-30% of total effort)
Studies have been conducted in shallow seas (North Sea, 66% of the publications), during the operational phase (64%), in shallow waters (90% at <30 m depth), close to the coast (56% <20 km offshore). This requires mapping marine habitats, protected species, and Natura 2000 sites while analyzing potential cumulative impacts across multiple wind farm developments.
Major debates: There’s ongoing discussion about cumulative environmental effects, with research showing significant bias toward northern European species in impact studies, while expansion to new regions requires investigation of temperate and subtropical species impacts.
| Role | No. of Experts | Duration (Months) | Hours/Month | Total Hours | Key Responsibilities |
| Senior Environmental Consultant/Team Lead | 1 | 14 | 160 | 2,240 | Environmental strategy, regulatory compliance, team coordination |
| Marine Ecologists/Biologists | 1-3 | 10 | 160 | 4,800 | Biodiversity mapping, habitat analysis, species assessment |
| Ornithologists (Bird Specialists) | 1-2 | 8 | 160 | 2,560 | Migration patterns, collision risk assessment |
| Marine Mammal Specialists | 1 | 6 | 160 | 960 | Cetacean surveys, acoustic impact assessment |
| Social Impact Assessment Specialists | 1-2 | 8 | 160 | 2,560 | Community engagement, socio-economic analysis |
| Fisheries Experts | 1 | 6 | 160 | 960 | Fishing industry consultation, impact assessment |
| Subtotal | 6-10 | 14,080 |
3.2.4 Spatial Planning and GIS Team (15-20% of total effort)
This combines Geographic Information Systems with multi-criteria decision analysis to overlay technical, environmental, and social constraints. GIS combined with MCDA methods is often used to address holistically the renewable energy site selection issues. The process must integrate shipping routes, fishing areas, military zones, protected areas, and existing infrastructure to minimize usage conflicts.
Key trends: Studies show European offshore wind site selection typically involves 12-27 evaluation criteria, with MCDM approaches being most common for complex spatial decisions.
| Role | No. of Experts | Duration (Months) | Hours/ Month | Total Hours | Key Responsibilities |
| GIS Specialists/Analysts | 1-3 | 12 | 160 | 5,760 | Spatial data management, sensitivity mapping, constraint mapping |
| Maritime Spatial Planning Expert | 1 | 10 | 160 | 1,600 | Integration with national plans, use conflicts analysis |
| Data Management Specialist | 1 | 14 | 160 | 2,240 | Database management, quality control, data archiving |
| Subtotal | 3-5 | 9,600 |
3.2.5 Support and Specialized Roles (10-15% of total effort)
The Romanian Terms of Reference specifically requires extensive consultation with environmental stakeholders, academics, NGOs, fishing communities, and maritime users. This involves organizing workshops, webinars, and bilateral meetings to gather feedback on proposed perimeters and identify potential social conflicts.
| Role | No. of Experts | Duration (Months) | Hours/Month | Total Hours | Key Responsibilities |
| Economic/Financial Analyst | 1 | 6 | 160 | 960 | LCOE calculations, economic impact assessment |
| Legal/Regulatory Advisor | 1 | 8 | 80 | 640 | Legal compliance, permit requirements, regulatory framework |
| Stakeholder Engagement Manager | 1 | 12 | 160 | 1,920 | Workshop organization, consultation management |
| Communications Specialist | 1 | 8 | 80 | 640 | Report writing, public communications, documentation |
| Local Liaison/Romanian Context Experts | 1-2 | 14 | 160 | 4,480 | Local stakeholder relations, translations, cultural context |
| Subtotal | 5-6 | 8,640 |
3.2.6 Additional Considerations
International vs. Local Expertise Mix:
- 40% international specialists (wind resource, offshore engineering, environmental)
- 60% local/regional experts (Romanian context, stakeholder engagement, regulatory)
Subcontracted Specialist Services:
- Metocean data providers: 500-800 hours
- Translation services: 300-400 hours
- Workshop facilitation: 200-300 hours
- Independent peer review: 400-600 hours
Quality Assurance Overhead:
- Technical review meetings: 5% of total hours
- Documentation and reporting: 10% of total hours
- Project management: 8-10% of total hours
This staffing plan aligns with international best-practices where similar studies have required €4-5 million budgets, translating to approximately 50,000-65,000 professional hours at typical consulting rates.
4 Timeline to carry out the study
4.1 Total Timeline Summary
Realistic Timeline: 12-16 months
Phase 1 (Months 1-4): Data collection, initial stakeholder mapping, preliminary GIS analysis
Phase 2 (Months 5-8): Detailed technical analysis, environmental assessments, first stakeholder workshops
Phase 3 (Months 9-12): Integration, optimization modeling, draft perimeter identification
Phase 4 (Months 13-16): Stakeholder consultation, revisions, final reporting, government approval support
The Ministry of Energy Terms of Reference (ToR) suggests 4 months, but this appears overly optimistic given the complexity. Furter research: Systematic Review of Site-Selection Processes in Onshore and Offshore Wind Energy Research
4.2 Total Person-Hours by Phase
Phase 1: Data Collection & Initial Assessment (Months 1-4)
- 19-25 experts × 4 months × 160 hours/month = 9,600-12,800 hours
Phase 2: Stakeholder Engagement Round 1 (Months 3-5)
- 8-10 experts × 3 months × 120 hours/month = 2,880-3,600 hours
Phase 3: Detailed Analysis & Mapping (Months 4-10)
- 19-25 experts × 7 months × 160 hours/month = 22,400-28,000 hours
Phase 4: Perimeter Identification (Months 9-12)
- 12-15 experts × 4 months × 160 hours/month = 7,680-9,600 hours
Phase 5: Final Consultation & Reporting (Months 11-16)
- 10-12 experts × 6 months × 120 hours/month = 7,200-8,640 hours
5 Cost range to carry out the study
Requirement: Estimate a cost range for carrying out the study and identifying the marine concessionable perimeters, as well as the related environmental and social constraints, as defined in this letter (including potential additional activities proposed).
5.1 Total Equipment Cost Summary
Equipment and Infrastructure Costs for Offshore Wind Perimeter Study
| Cost Category | Minimum (€) | Maximum (€) |
| Software and Licensing | 450,000 | 650,000 |
| Data Acquisition | 300,000 | 500,000 |
| Computing Infrastructure | 88,000 | 136,000 |
| Field Equipment | 54,000 | 86,000 |
| Office Equipment & Logistics | 53,000 | 80,000 |
| External Services | 160,000 | 255,000 |
| TOTAL PROJECT EQUIPMENT COSTS | 1,105,000 | 1,707,000 |
Notes:
- Costs exclude personnel/consulting fees
- All prices include installation and initial training
- Annual software licenses calculated for 16-month project duration
- 10% contingency recommended for unforeseen requirements
- Some costs can be reduced through government partnerships or existing resources
5.2 Breakdown: Software and Licensing Costs
| Category | Software/Tool | Licenses/Units | Cost Range (€) |
| GIS & Spatial Analysis | ArcGIS Enterprise Suite | 5 licenses | 60,000 – 80,000 |
| QGIS Pro (support/training) | Team support | 5,000 – 10,000 | |
| Marine Analyst Extension | 1 license | 15,000 – 20,000 | |
| Global Mapper Pro | 3 licenses | 6,000 – 9,000 | |
| Wind Resource Assessment | WAsP | 1 license | 25,000 – 35,000 |
| WindPRO (complete suite) | 1 license | 30,000 – 40,000 | |
| Meteodyn WT | 1 license | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Global Wind Atlas Pro Access | 1 subscription | 5,000 – 8,000 | |
| Marine Engineering | MIKE 21 (DHI Marine Suite) | 1 license | 40,000 – 60,000 |
| Delft3D (hydrodynamic modeling) | 1 license | 25,000 – 35,000 | |
| SWAN (wave modeling) | 1 license | 15,000 – 20,000 | |
| OrcaFlex (cable dynamics) | 1 license | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Environmental Assessment | Band Collision Risk Model | 1 license | 5,000 – 8,000 |
| SOSS-W | 1 license | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| PAMGuard (acoustic analysis) | 1 license | 8,000 – 12,000 | |
| MaxEnt (species modeling) | Training only | 2,000 | |
| Data Analysis | MATLAB | 5 licenses | 15,000 – 20,000 |
| Python Scientific Stack | Support/training | 5,000 – 8,000 | |
| R Statistical Software | Enterprise support | 8,000 – 12,000 | |
| PostgreSQL/PostGIS | Enterprise | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Project Management | MS Project Professional | 10 licenses | 8,000 – 12,000 |
| SharePoint/Teams | Enterprise | 15,000 – 20,000 | |
| Confluence/JIRA | Team licenses | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 450,000 – 650,000 |
5.3 Breakdown: Data Acquisition Costs
| Data Type | Specific Dataset | Coverage/Duration | Cost Range (€) |
| Meteorological & Oceanographic | ERA5 Reanalysis Data | Enhanced access | 15,000 – 20,000 |
| Satellite Wind Data (SAR) | 2-year historical | 40,000 – 60,000 | |
| Historical Weather Station Data | 10-year records | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Wave and Current Datasets | Regional coverage | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Bathymetric & Geological | EMODnet Bathymetry | High resolution | 25,000 – 35,000 |
| Seabed Sediment Maps | Black Sea coverage | 15,000 – 25,000 | |
| Geological Survey Data | National archives | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Existing Seismic Data | Available surveys | 30,000 – 50,000 | |
| Environmental & Ecological | Natura 2000 Database | Full access | 5,000 – 8,000 |
| Bird Migration Data | Radar/tracking data | 30,000 – 45,000 | |
| Marine Mammal Distribution | Black Sea specific | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Fisheries Statistics/VMS | 5-year historical | 15,000 – 25,000 | |
| Infrastructure & Maritime | Shipping AIS Data | 2-year historical | 25,000 – 35,000 |
| Submarine Cable/Pipeline DB | Current database | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Military Exercise Area Data | Official records | 5,000 – 10,000 | |
| Port Infrastructure Data | Detailed specs | 8,000 – 12,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 300,000 – 500,000 |
5.4 Breakdown: Computing Infrastructure
| Equipment Type | Specifications | Quantity | Cost Range (€) |
| Workstations | Intel Xeon/AMD Threadripper | 5 units | 40,000 – 60,000 |
| 64-128GB RAM, RTX 4090/A5000 | |||
| Servers | Data Processing Server | 1 unit | 15,000 – 25,000 |
| Dual Xeon, 256GB RAM, 50TB | |||
| GIS Database Server | 1 unit | 12,000 – 18,000 | |
| Optimized for PostGIS | |||
| Backup/Archive System | 1 unit | 8,000 – 12,000 | |
| NAS 100TB with redundancy | |||
| Network Security | Enterprise Firewall/VPN | 1 system | 5,000 – 8,000 |
| Secure File Transfer System | 1 system | 3,000 – 5,000 | |
| Cybersecurity Software Suite | 1 package | 5,000 – 8,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 88,000 – 136,000 |
5.5 Breakdown: Field Equipment
| Equipment Category | Item Description | Quantity | Cost Range (€) |
| Navigation & Documentation | Handheld GPS Units | 5 units | 3,000 – 5,000 |
| Digital Cameras/Drones | 3 sets | 8,000 – 12,000 | |
| Ruggedized Tablets | 10 units | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Environmental Monitoring | Acoustic Recorders | Rental/purchase | 15,000 – 25,000 |
| Water Quality Meters | 3 units | 5,000 – 8,000 | |
| Binoculars/Spotting Scopes | 5 sets | 3,000 – 5,000 | |
| Communication | Satellite Phones | 3 units | 3,000 – 5,000 |
| VHF Marine Radios | 5 units | 2,000 – 3,000 | |
| Video Conference Equipment | 1 system | 5,000 – 8,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 54,000 – 86,000 |
5.6 Breakdown: Office Equipment & Logistics
| Category | Item | Quantity/Duration | Cost Range (€) |
| Office Equipment | Large Format Plotters | 2 units | 10,000 – 15,000 |
| High-Resolution Monitors | 30 units | 15,000 – 20,000 | |
| Office Furniture/Ergonomic | Full team | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Transportation | Project Vehicles | 16-month lease | 15,000 – 25,000 |
| Safety Equipment (PPE) | Team equipment | 3,000 – 5,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 53,000 – 80,000 |
5.7 Breakdown: External Services & Subscriptions
| Service Type | Description | Duration/Scope | Cost Range (€) |
| Cloud Services | AWS/Azure compute & storage | 16 months | 30,000 – 50,000 |
| Specialized Cloud Processing | As needed | 20,000 – 30,000 | |
| Data Transfer and Bandwidth | Project duration | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Professional Services | Software Training Programs | Team training | 20,000 – 30,000 |
| Technical Support Contracts | Annual | 15,000 – 25,000 | |
| Quality Assurance Reviews | 3 reviews | 25,000 – 40,000 | |
| Stakeholder Engagement | Venue Rentals | Multiple events | 15,000 – 25,000 |
| Catering and Logistics | All workshops | 10,000 – 15,000 | |
| Translation/Interpretation | Ongoing | 15,000 – 25,000 | |
| SUBTOTAL | 160,000 – 255,000 |
6 Potential amendments to Law No. 121/2024
6.1 Formalize Requirement for Energy Storage
Addition of energy storage in proportion to the wind resources being added to the grid requires a solution for large-scale energy storage. The best way is to incentivize a wind-storage hybrid system, with smart balancing so that excess power is sent into the storage system instead of being pumped to the grid.
Adding just wind without storage may lead to the blackouts such as the one seen in Spain. The storage system attached to the wind farm is a short-term form of storage necessary for maintaining network equilibrium. Short term storage could be further enhanced by the presence of long-term hydro storage (proiectul Tarnița–Lăpuștești), the latter addressing seasonal decreases in wind production
6.2 Smart Grid Investments
Incentivize smart grid investments in the distribution system (in Transelectrica), with PNRR or state grants so that the stability of the grid can be sensed dynamically (e.g. Phasor Management Units) and that signals can be sent to the OSW systems to move energy from grid to storage or vice versa, as the dynamic equilibrium requires.
6.3 Ensure Efficiency Standards
Impose minimum efficiency standards in all the perimeters e.g. turbine size. Equipment lifetime should match investment horizon (contract lifetime)
6.4 Renewable Portfolio Standards
Introduce a form of Renewable Portfolio Standards, where OSW generators sell electricity to suppliers along with wind generation certificates. Suppliers must then purchase a given number of certificates every year consistent with the targeted proportion of wind generation.
6.5 Establish a Framework for Environmental Impact Assessment
The Dutch government’s Ecology and Cumulative Effects Framework established science-based limits for total development Framework for Assessing Ecological and Cumulative Effects (KEC) – Noordzeeloket UK.
6.6 Minimize business risk
Promote clarity around state support and tax rebates to facilitate the financing of the project. Included here will be the policy of CfD (contracte pentru diferenta) that has already been successfully deployed in the Romanian Ministry of Energy and elsewhere.
6.7 Fisheries compensation mechanisms
Develop structured financial frameworks for affected communities (beyond consultation). Structured financial frameworks provide fair compensation for fishing communities affected by offshore wind development is supported by this research: Offshore Wind Projects and Fisheries: Conflict and Engagement in the United Kingdom and the United States | Oceanography
6.8 Community benefit funds
Establish investment programs for local development. Investment programs channel wind farm revenues into local development projects, building long-term community support. Supported by this research Early stakeholder engagement vital for offshore wind success | RPS
6.9 Align policies with other European initiatives
The Dutch Government designates the exact site location for each project and conducts the critical site surveys, which are all independently certified to ensure designs can be optimized, with the necessary information and studies made available to potential developers: Dutch Offshore Wind Policy Approach – Wind & water works
Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) invests €10-15 million per site in preliminary investigations, including two years of wind measurements, geotechnical surveys, and environmental assessments before competitive auctions. Global offshore wind: Germany | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbright The UK Crown Estate’s Resource and Constraints Assessment for Round 4 analyzed 290,000 km² of seabed, identifying 8,000 km² suitable for development after excluding shipping lanes, military areas, and protected habitats. This process attracted record-breaking option fees. Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4: Identifying seabed Bidding Areas