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PES Solar caught up with Christian Leonte, CEO of Waldevar Energy, at KEY Energy 2026 in Rimini to discuss the company’s expanding utility-scale solar portfolio and its entry into the Italian market.

Video interview by PES SOLAR 

Waldevar is currently developing a cluster of six solar projects in Calabria totaling more than 50 MW, marking an important step in the company’s growth across Southern Europe. Italy remains a key focus market as solar deployment continues to accelerate, with more than 6 GW of new capacity installed last year.

A major differentiator for Waldevar is its fully integrated project delivery model, with more than 2,000 specialists and a fleet of heavy construction equipment allowing the company to manage projects from engineering and procurement through construction, grid connection and long-term operations and maintenance.

The company is currently constructing over 800 MW of PV projects across Europe, with active developments in Romania, Italy and France, alongside completed projects in Germany and the Czech Republic. Waldevar is also expanding into new areas including energy storage, wind and floating solar, highlighted by a 10 MW floating PV pilot project with HydroElectrica in Romania, one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Alongside large-scale project development, the company is investing heavily in innovation and digitalisation, including AI-driven monitoring systems, predictive maintenance platforms and robotics for operations and maintenance activities.

As utility-scale solar continues to expand across Europe and neighbouring regions, companies capable of delivering projects across the full lifecycle are becoming an increasingly important part of the renewable energy ecosystem.

PRESS RELEASE 

Bucharest, December 22, 2025 

WALDEVAR Energy and Entek Elektrik accelerate green investments in Romania with a solar park of at least 200 MWp

WALDEVAR Energy announces the signing of the contract for the development of the first photovoltaic park in Romania for Entek Elektrik, subsidiary of Turkiye’s largest industrial enterprise Tüpraş, a regional leader in energy, refining and advanced energy infrastructure. The project, located in Niculești, will have an installed minimum capacity of 200 MWp, strengthening Entek Elektrik’s strategy to expand in the zero-carbon energy sector and marking a significant investment in Romania’s energy transition.

As General Contractor, full EPC, WALDEVAR Energy will manage the complete design, construction and installation of the photovoltaic park. The company will also provide Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services for a two-year period after completion, ensuring continuous operation and optimal technical performance. 

This project represents the largest contract in the WALDEVAR Energy portfolio. The company has become a European benchmark in the photovoltaic EPC sector, with nearly 2.5 GW of contracted and secured projects in Romania and across Europe. The expansion of its O&M division reflects its commitment to protecting client investments, maximizing energy production and ensuring the long-term sustainability of renewable energy assets. 

Through the Niculești investment, Entek Elektrik takes a significant strategic step in its international growth journey, strengthening its position in the zero-carbon energy sector, as a company actively operating across wind, solar and hydropower assets, marking its first investment in Europe. This project reflects Entek Elektrik’s long-term strategic commitment to advancing clean energy technologies and strengthening its international presence, underscoring the importance and scale of the Niculești development for both the company and the region. 

The project generates direct benefits for the local community, contributing to the sustainable economic development of the area. During implementation, more than 200 workers and specialists will be involved in technical and operational activities, stimulating the local labor market and supporting the development of a skilled regional workforce. The investment creates new economic opportunities for local businesses and accelerates the modernization of Dâmbovița County’s energy infrastructure. By integrating ESG practices and adopting clean technologies, the project helps build a more resilient local ecosystem, reduces the carbon footprint and strengthens a long-term sustainable economy. 

 Nicolae Constantin, COO WALDEVAR Energy 
“The signing of this contract marks a defining moment for WALDEVAR Energy and reaffirms our position as a European leader in the EPC sector. This is an ambitious project, developed together with Entek Elektrik and we are proud to contribute to the creation of a sustainable and high-performance energy asset for the Romanian market.” 

Bilal Tuğrul Kaya, Entek Elektrik 
“The Niculești project represents an important step in expanding our renewable energy portfolio and highlights Entek Elektrik’s commitment to investing in clean technologies and sustainable infrastructure. Choosing WALDEVAR Energy as our partner for the implementation of this project confirms their professionalism and ability to deliver at international standards.” 

The Niculești photovoltaic project is a strategic milestone in transforming Romania’s energy landscape and demonstrates how strong partnerships between companies such as Entek Elektrik and WALDEVAR Energy can create economic, technological and social value. Both companies reaffirm their commitment to investing in sustainable energy infrastructure and advancing the transition towards a greener future.

Press Release

WALDEVAR Energy becomes EPC partner for Doral Energy’s first utility-scale solar projects in Romania

WALDEVAR Energy, a leading European EPC contractor in renewable energy, announces the start of construction works for two new utility-scale photovoltaic parks developed for Doral Energy. The projects are located in Tudor Vladimirescu (Brăila County) and Ștefan Vodă (Călărași County), Romania. Together, the two solar parks will deliver an installed capacity of approximately 14 MWp and will include around 25,000 photovoltaic panels.

These projects mark Doral Energy’s first investments in Romania. The Israeli-based company, a global leader in renewable energy with operations across multiple continents and a portfolio exceeding 15 GWp, is strengthening its strategic presence in Central and Eastern Europe, an increasingly important region for accelerating the energy transition.

WALDEVAR Energy acts as EPC contractor for the entire investment program, overseeing all phases including engineering, procurement, logistics, construction, and commissioning. Both projects are expected to be completed within 12 months and will generate local employment opportunities, contributing to the economic development of the surrounding communities.

By expanding Romania’s renewable energy capacity, the two projects support the country’s energy security, accelerate the transition to clean energy, and strengthen regional energy resilience, at a time when sustainable infrastructure has become a strategic priority across Europe. These investments further reinforce the commitment of WALDEVAR Energy and the Doral Group to advancing local renewable energy production and expanding photovoltaic infrastructure nationwide.

Beyond increasing clean energy generation, the projects will deliver tangible benefits to the local communities in Tudor Vladimirescu and Ștefan Vodă, including job creation during the construction phase and additional contributions to local budgets, with a direct positive impact on the regional economy.

Nicu Constantin, COO of WALDEVAR Energy, commented:
"Partnering with Doral Energy confirms our ability to deliver robust, high-quality projects that contribute to strengthening Romania’s energy security. We are committed to building more than photovoltaic parks we aim to create lasting value for local communities and to develop new projects together that enhance the country’s energy infrastructure."

Guy Sagi, CEO of Doral Europe, added:
"These projects in Romania represent an important milestone in our international expansion strategy. In WALDEVAR Energy, we have found a strong partner with deep technical expertise and a long-term vision. We intend to continue investing in Romania and to contribute to the growth of local generation capacity in a way that supports both economic development and energy stability."

Through these projects, WALDEVAR Energy reaffirms its position as a trusted EPC partner, recognized for delivering large-scale energy infrastructure projects and consistently meeting high international standards. The company’s reputation now extends well beyond Romania, positioning WALDEVAR Energy as a reliable partner for international investors and a key contributor to the development of modern energy infrastructure.

Parcurile fotovoltaice flotante au un potential urias in Romania

Interviu Agenda Constructiilor – Christian Leonte, CEO WALDEVAR Holding

Articol complet

Ce asteptari aveti de la 2025-2026 in domeniul energiei si ce rol va juca WALDEVAR in viitorul infrastructurii energetice din Romania?

– Chiar si cu asteptari moderate, estimam ca in perioada 2025-2026 capacitatile existente se vor dubla prin proiectele aflate in desfasurare si cele care urmeaza sa fie lansate. Romania se pregateste pentru o expansiune accelerata in constructia de proiecte de energie regenerabila, iar WALDEVAR Energy va continua sa aiba un rol central. Sursele regenerabile ar putea ajunge la 72,5% din capacitatea totala instalata pana in 2030, ceea ce reprezinta o oportunitate extraordinara pentru noi. Ne vedem ca facilitator al tranzitiei energetice nationale, capabil sa ofere nu doar noi capacitati de productie, ci si solutii tehnologice integrate, esentiale pentru o retea energetica moderna, flexibila si rezilienta. Credem ca Romania nu doar ca va atinge independenta energetica, ci are potentialul de a deveni exportator net de energie curata in regiune, iar WALDEVAR va fi unul dintre principalii promotori ai acestei transformari.

Romanian Renewable Energy Summit 2025

Cristian DRAGOMIR – CEO, Waldevar Energy at the th edition of the Romanian Renewable Energy Summit 2025, powered by GOVNET Romania held on Thursday, September 18, at the Zooma – Paradisul Verde Corbeanca, sharing 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒓’𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔. 𝑯𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏-𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔. 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆-𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒂𝒑 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚.

 FULL VIDEO 

Sursa: DOINGBUSINESS.RO

Cea mai mare companie din Romania care activeaza in domeniul energiilor curate si regenerabile se numeste WALDEVAR Energy si face parte din grupul WALDEVAR HOLDING. Proiectele sale profund inovatoare si de mare anvergura sunt cunoscute, apreciate si implementate si in afara  granitelor tarii noastre, propulsand-o ca un lider regional.

Waldevar Holding s-a dezvoltat pe spectru larg, ca o companie de tip EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction), avand in vedere nu numai oferirea unor solutii avansate cu eficienta ridicata, ci si proiectarea, realizarea  si integrarea  acestora in cadrul complex al sistemului energetic national. Operarea si mentenanta dispozitivelor instalate, de asemenea, nu au secrete pentru cei de la Waldevar Holding. O perspectiva sanatos structurata, avand deschidere larga asupra progresului si vietii, in general, ramane componenta esentiala pentru tot ceea ce abordeaza si desfasoara Christian Leonte, CEO Waldevar Holding, intr-un nou interviu sustinut de Continental Anvelope Romania. Imaginile sunt realizate de catre fotograful Dani Orosz la Bucharest Golf Club Snagov. Ca de obicei, avem cu noi si o masina care ne provoaca sa povestim, insa de foarte multe ori am amutit in timpul accelerarilor, deoarece Mercedes-Benz S 63 E Performance este pur si simplu o „bestie” imbracata elegant care te va uimi din punct de vedere al confortului si sportivitatii.

INTERVIUL INTEGRAL 

Sursă: The Diplomat

INTERVIEW Christian Leonte, WALDEVAR Holding: “We target regional leadership in Central and Eastern Europe on long term”

“By 2025-2026, we are ready to deliver up to 2.25 GWp in 50 new PV parks. We will strengthen our presence in Europe but looking at the same time more closely to the US and the North of Africa

We will open the first subsidiaries outside Europe in the coming months. On longer term we target regional leadership in Central and Eastern Europe, and we will implement own smart energy management technologies SCADA – EMS,” Christian Leonte, CEO WALDEVAR Holding told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

What have been the most significant operational challenges WALDEVAR faced during its rapid expansion, particularly in scaling from local to international markets? 

WALDEVAR has had to build significant operational capacity, growing to a team of over 1000 skilled professionals and a significant dedicated fleet of specialized vehicles to support the operations at home and abroad. Managing this workforce expansion across different countries with varying labour regulations and cultural contexts presents ongoing challenges. So far, we have managed to adapt to the local context in many countries and different continents. WALDEVAR’s expansion story reflects broader challenges in the renewable energy sector, where one must balance rapid growth with supply chain reliability, regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, and the technical complexity of large-scale renewable energy projects.

In your opinion, what are the biggest risks currently facing the renewable energy sector in Romania and across Europe?

Romania & Europe face a triple challenge. We need to reduce the dependences on imports, equipment from China and oil and gas from elsewhere, to accelerate reaching of the climate commitments without a negative impact to the economy and lower the energy prices by increasing renewable production capacity and help reindustrialization and electrification.

Apart from the economic and financial risks derived by the political and economic context like inflation effect on the price of materials and the rising interest rates we remark the increasing need for capable EPC companies to deliver the many large renewable energy projects that are about to start.  This is becoming the next major bottleneck in the realization of new production capacities. The insufficient grid capacity to connect new projects is a continued threat to the development of the renewable energy. The increasing delivery times for critical components like transformers and the increasing price for major components like the PV modules negatively impact the business models that were already very competitive. Let’s add to this significant list the cybersecurity risks and the extreme weather and we see the complexity of the factors to be dealt with . Last but not least, the volatility of the energy price  together with the more often  occurrence of the negative prices is not helping  the appetite of the investors for new projects.

WALDEVAR surpassed 1.5 GW of installed capacity. What are the company’s strategic targets over the next 3 to 5 years?

By 2025-2026, we are ready to deliver up to 2.25 GWp in 50 new PV parks. We will strengthen our presence in Europe but looking at the same time more closely to the US and the North of Africa

We will open the first subsidiaries outside Europe in the coming months. On longer term we target regional leadership in Central and Eastern Europe, and we will implement own smart energy management technologies SCADA – EMS.

What drove the decision to invest €10 million into the floating PV factory, and what return on investment do you anticipate?

We cannot speak about the ROI figures, but we can mention the huge potential that is generally offered by the water bodies and the substantial advantages given by this alternative to the usual utility scale PVPPs that we became used with. It is true that in Europe Floating PV is still seen as an exotic investment, but if we look at the Asian market, the exponential growth of the FPV market is certainly a trend that will impact our market.

The investment allows WALDEVAR to control their supply chain and reduce dependency on imports, particularly important given the supply chain challenges the renewable energy sector has faced. In partnership with global leader Sungrow FPV, we are building the only FPV systems factory in Europe, located in Tunari on a 40,000 m2 large site, conveniently located and  giving us a significant competitive advantage. As an important milestone, we have recently signed the contract for the largest photovoltaic floating system installed on a hydroelectric dam in Europe with Hidroelectrica. This is a pilot project that paves the way for many more to come, in Romania and abroad. Another FPV project is about to be started by us in France in the coming months.

FPV systems eliminate competition with agriculture, urban development, or natural habitats, reduce evaporation rates FPV systems can reduce algae growth by blocking sunlight, potentially improving water quality in reservoirs, and reducing the need for chemical treatments. Water’s natural cooling effect keeps panels at lower operating temperatures, improving efficiency by 5-15% compared to ground-mounted systems and have less airborne dust and debris, meaning panels stay cleaner longer and require less maintenance cleaning compared to ground-mounted installations in dusty environments. Many water bodies (reservoirs, industrial cooling ponds, irrigation systems) are located near population centers or industrial facilities, reducing transmission costs and line losses. When installed on hydroelectric reservoirs, FPV systems can share existing grid infrastructure and benefit from complementary generation patterns – solar during the day, hydro for peak demand and storage.

FPV systems can be removed without permanent environmental impact, unlike ground-mounted systems that may permanently alter land use. 

Is WALDEVAR planning to expand its investment portfolio into energy storage, hydrogen, or other complementary technologies?

Shortly yes. We plan to stay, as we do with Floating PV, at the forefront of the industry through innovation, mainly digital, and future oriented thinking. We are already implementing many BESS projects, becoming a first address for this type of project too. Hydrogen will probably come later, as this is conditioned by the necessary transportation infrastructure.

What leadership principles do you consider essential when managing large-scale energy projects and international teams?

A long-term perspective is necessary, needing to maintain vision while adapting to changing market conditions, regulations, and technologies. Clear vision setting and communication are paramount to successful operation. Decisive action under pressure is critical as the projects are very dynamic and subject to many risks. Finally, extremely important is the team building by recognizing talent, enabling collaboration and teamwork,  enforce delegation and empowerment.

Energy projects involve utilities, regulators, communities, investors, contractors, and governments. Leaders must orchestrate these diverse interests while maintaining project momentum.

Cultural intelligence and adaptive leadership are critical since international energy projects require understanding how different cultures approach time, hierarchy, decision-making, and risk. What works in Germany may not work in Romania or Poland, even within the EU framework.