Casa Verde Solar — how to land the Romanian subsidy fast

1. The 2026 program — what's new

Casa Verde Solar 2026 brings a major change: storage batteries become a mandatory condition. Previously optional; now, projects without batteries are not eligible.

The maximum subsidy stays around 30,000 RON per approved application, with a self-contribution of ~3,000 RON (~10% of eligible costs). The program's total budget depends on the 2026 Budget Law and is still in preparation.

The change aligns the program with the reality of modern renewable home setups — solar without storage has limited autonomy. See our article on integrating solar, heat pump, and EV for full context.

2. Current status — program not yet open

At the time of writing (May 2026), Casa Verde Solar is not open. AFM (the Romanian environmental fund administration) is still preparing the budget. Most optimistic estimate: opening in Q3 2026 (July–September), conditional on the Budget Law passing.

This article is preparation for the moment of opening. The historical pattern is clear: AFM announces 2–4 weeks ahead; the budget runs out in the first hours or days. Those who prepare in advance get the funding.

3. Why speed matters

Data from 2024: the individual-applicant budget ran out on the first day. Those who applied in the first hours got funding; the rest stayed on a waitlist that was rarely activated.

Pre-preparation decides who gets the money, not the technical quality of the project. A perfect application submitted after the budget is exhausted is worth nothing. A standard application submitted in the first 30 minutes gets funded.

Conclusion: the important actions happen BEFORE the session opens, not on application day.

4. Preparation — three weeks before

Decisive actions before the session opens:

• Choose an AFM-validated installer — see the official list on afm.ro after the funding guide is published, or request quotes from verified firms
• Lock in system capacity with the calculator — know your kWp before signing anything, so you don't get pushed into an oversized quote
• Sign a preliminary contract with the installer — detailed technical offer + estimated cost
• Scan documents at high resolution: ID (front + back), land registry extract, non-debtor declaration to the state
• Verify your AFM online account at online.afm.ro — if you don't have one, create it now (10 minutes, but a blocker on application day)

See how to start with solar for full context on choosing an installer.

5. Choosing an AFM-validated installer

Only AFM Casa Verde-validated installers are eligible. The official list appears on afm.ro after the guide is published. Additional criteria that matter:

• ANRE certification — check the tariff (III B or higher for systems >10 kW)
• Real reviews — Google Reviews, Trustpilot, local recommendations; ignore testimonials on the firm's own website
• Local presence — an installer from another county means costly travel during warranty
• Visible turnover — micro firms with no financial history can disappear in 6–12 months

See what is a prosumer as an alternative if you want to avoid dependency on the subsidy.

6. Required documents — exhaustive checklist

Standard list (verify the official guide when published — per-edition variations exist):

• ID card — front + back, scanned clearly
• Land registry extract — max 30 days old at the time of application (not at preparation)
• Non-debtor declaration — from ANAF (national tax authority) + local authority (both layers)
• Co-owner agreement — if the property isn't exclusively in your name
• Preliminary installer contract — written offer + scope of work
• DSO approval — optional pre-application, mandatory post-approval

Most frequent rejections (from AFM's official "common rejection reasons" PDF):

• Expired land registry extract (older than 30 days)
• Inconsistencies between ID name and land-registry name
• Missing non-debtor declaration on one layer (ANAF or local)

7. The day of application — concrete steps

Hours before the session opens:

• Verify online.afm.ro is accessible and functional
• Pre-login — test that you have access
• Multiple browser tabs pre-opened on the relevant pages
• Pre-uploaded scans in a Drive / Dropbox folder accessible instantly
• Stable internet — wired, not unreliable Wi-Fi
• Backup device — phone as a fallback

In the first hour after opening:

• Login immediately (your pre-opening session may have expired)
• Navigate directly to "New financing request"
• Validate every field before submit — land registry numbers, comma-vs-period numbers, date formats
• Single submit — avoid retries that can create version conflicts
• Save the registration number as soon as you receive confirmation

8. Common mistakes — rejection reasons

Source: AFM's official "common rejection reasons" PDF. The five most common:

• Expired documents — land registry extract >30 days, non-debtor declaration >30 days
• Name inconsistencies — ID ≠ land registry, missing variant for multiple-owner declarations
• Incorrect amounts — maximum subsidy ≤ 30,000 RON; any amount above the cap = automatic rejection
• Non-validated installer — the installer must be on the current AFM list at the time of the request
• Ineligible location — apartment without co-owner agreement, house on non-owned land, house under construction

9. After approval — what's next

Approval notification: 30–90 days from submit. Then the calendar is strict:

• 6–12 months for installation (deadline; extensions are rare and formal)
• Settlement is done AFTER installation + complete invoices presented
• You provide: final invoice + acceptance protocol + warranty certificate + copy of installer's ANRE certification
• AFM transfers the money directly to the installer (not to you personally)
• The self-contribution (~3,000 RON) you pay to the installer in parallel, per contract

Note: the installation must be complete and functional, connected to the grid as a prosumer. Unmounted system = zero settlement.

10. What if you miss the round

Alternatives if the budget runs out before you apply:

• Green loans — BCR, BRD, Garanti — financing with subsidized interest (1–3% below market) for renewable systems. You pay monthly in installments, the system is yours
• EIB / EBA programs — for large projects (>50 kW)
• Operational leasing — pay monthly; the system stays with the firm until the end, then you take it over
• Plug-in / balcony solar panels — under 800 W, no complex authorization, immediately accessible
• Wait for the next session — AFM typically opens 1–2 sessions per year when the budget allows

Reopening notifications: subscribe in the form below and we'll email you on day one when AFM publishes the Casa Verde Solar opening date. Max 6 emails per year, one-click unsubscribe.