Program Context
The current geo-economic, financial and technological context, as well as efficiency and technology innovations, will change the energy mix of states around the world. Romania’s energy mix scenarios, analyzing resource availability, energy trends, fiscal and legal framework, show that our country is at a point where it will be decided how the energy sector will be adjusted and which will be the critical projects for this section. This moment of change in the business model will affect the whole energy field, create investment opportunities, but may expose stakeholders to a higher risk than before. In this context, investments will play an increasingly important role.

Program Description
Aspen Institute Romania’s Energy and Sustainability Program represents an active and prominent convener of non-partisan policy dialogue and a neutral forum focused on key energy topics and ways of advancing environmental sustainability in a technological world. The Program’s mission is to discuss the enduring questions about society and economic opportunities, to prompt a new thinking among diverse participants by deliberately testing assumptions and policies about sustainable energy policies.

The Program promotes values-based dialogue between top leaders from business, government, NGOs, and academia to address complex energy policy challenges in an atmosphere that allows deliberation, creativity and collaboration to flourish. The Program seeks to inspire and explore new ideas and provoke action in the real world.

Based on the Aspen Method which we profess and practice, we facilitate a transparent, responsible and non-partisan reflection process, between public decision-makers, private stakeholders and representatives of the non governmental and academic sectors, about various aspects concerning key challenges of the Romanian society.

Areas of Interest:

  • Technology and the ongoing trend of digitalization;
  • Geopolitical outlook and energy security;
  • Energy independence and connectivity of the CESEC region;
  • Different realities of national interest and common European interest;
  • Building infrastructure connections through the web of energy geopolitics.

The core deliverables of the 2025 edition include:

  • Working level meetings of the Task Force with the participation of Program Partners, focusing on identifying Program priorities.
  • Closed-door thematic roundtables engaging decision-makers, representatives of regulatory bodies, private stakeholders and non-governmental and academic sectors, issuing relevant policy recommendations.
  • High-level, international public conference – Aspen Energy Summit 2025: the Program’s dedicated event exploring strategic issues at the intersection of energy, economy, technology, geopolitics, and security. (September 23)
  • Custom Leadership Seminar – Aspen Energy & Sustainability Program Leadership Retreat & Community Building. The Seminar brings together a diverse group of key stakeholders from the Aspen Energy & Sustainability Program Community, focusing on current challenges at the intersection of energy, policy, and sustainability. (October 31 – November 1)
  • Plenary Panels at Aspen-GMF Bucharest Forum 2025, on topics relevant to the Program.
  • A Program White Paper based on the recommendations of the thematic roundtables.

Program Track Record:

An archive of our activities in the Program can be found HERE.