Romania This summer it was also announced that Romania’s Environ­ment Fund Administration had allocated the equivalent of EUR 50.9 million by approving 12,718 applications for the Casa Verde Fotovoltaice(Green PV home) scheme to sup­port rebates for residential solar installations under the country’s net metering regime. The programme was intro­duced in 2018 and covers up to 90 per cent of the costs of purchasing and deploying a rooftop array. 276 only on mitigation of electricity prices but also longer-term measures to tackle energy efficiency. To this end, it should invest in increasing its workforce skills for near-zero renova­tions. Romania should also use the revision of its NECP under the Fit for 55 Package to increase its renewable energy and en­ergy efficiency ambitions and reduce its plans for higher de­pendence on gas. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN DECISION-MAKING ON ENERGY POLICY AND INFRASTRUCTURE Like its peers, Romania’s energy sector planning relies on mostly centralised large-scale projects, sometimes decades old. For example, its NECP still plans the Cernavoda 3 and 4 nuclear reactors, 277 which have been planned since the 1970s. It also plans significant new gas capacity, both in the power sector and for household heating. 278 Such antiquated energy sector plans leave little real space for public participa­tion in decision-making as major decisions are taken behind closed doors, with formal consultations such as EIA process­es unable to make a real impact. On its NECP Romania was more consultative than some oth­ers such as Croatia, and three rounds of public consultation were held – albeit that the first one was very short. Howev­er, details of how the public’s views have been taken into ac­count remain elusive. 279 RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS Romania needs to work further on consistent promotion of sustainable forms of renewable energy in electricity produc­tion, transport and heating and cooling, and the reduction of energy consumption in the energy, industry, residential, trans­port and tertiary sectors. Now that Romania has finally named its coal phase-out date, it must put in place a clear plan for a just transition as well as a wider fossil fuels phase-out. To achieve inclusive energy transition Romania needs not on­ly focus its effort on fossil intensive regions covered under the Just Transition Fund, but also on stronger inclusion of citizens in the energy transition process by implementing consumer protection measures and increasing incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency for different beneficiaries. Romania should continue with its efforts to increase energy efficiency and energy poverty but needs to better link the two. Its energy poverty measures need to concentrate not 276 Emiliano Bellini,‘Romania allocates$59 million for solar rebates’, PV Magazine, 16 JUNE, 2020, 277 Government of Romania, The 2021-2030 Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan. 278 Government of Romania, The 2021-2030 Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan. 279 European Commission, Commission Staff Working Document, As­sessment of the final national energy and climate plan of Romania. 49