Government Initiatives

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National Action Plan on Climate Change, adopted in 2000 and review the World Bank's Energy and Environment carried out and approved by the Bulgarian government in November 2001, contain provisions and proposals for increasing the share of renewables total energy in the country. Energy Act and Energy Efficiency Act provide substantial incentives for using renewable energy sources. There are still insurmountable technical and financial difficulties in the use of geothermal heating systems. In addition there are legal, institutional, regulatory, environmental and social barriers that significantly limit the implementation of projects for geothermal heating in Bulgaria. Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 27 September 2001 to promote production and consumption of electricity from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market presents all Member States commitment to increase renewable energy use within the Community . The Directive established national targets for each Member State, which need to be achieved by 2010, creation of appropriate incentives and measures to promote consumption of electricity produced from renewable energy sources is the way to achieving the targets. About Bulgaria has set an indicative target for 2010 of 11% share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources (RES) in gross electricity consumption (in the Annex to Council Directive 2006/108/EC of 20 November 2006 ) and is based on the positive development of renewable energy and favorable climatic conditions. Figure 1 presents the targets set for 2010 for Member States and achieved a share of electricity from RES in gross inland consumption of electricity in 2007.

Figure 1: Share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in gross inland consumption of electricity for 2007 and indicative targets for 2010 for Member States and the total EU-27 On April 23, 2009 was adopted Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and the Council to encourage use of renewable energy and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC. In Annex 1 of Directive № 2009/28/EO are mandatory national targets for each Member State. Established for Bulgaria aims 16% share of renewables in gross final energy consumption by 2020, as it is included and mandatory target of 10% share of renewables in final energy consumption in transport. The Directive requires each Member State to develop and submit to the European Commission by June 30, 2010 National Action Plan for renewable energy, including targets for the production of electricity, heat and cooling and biofuels by 2020 PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES IN BULGARIA IN 2009 For the production of electricity in the country using hydro, wind and solar energy. Dominant renewable source used for electricity production is hydropower. It is believed that a significant proportion of the potential for construction of large hydropower plants (HPP) has expired and is currently being constructed mainly small hydro (SHPP) with an installed capacity below 1 MW. In 2009, introduced 15 pcs. SHPP with a total installed capacity of 13 MW (Table 2). 2009 were built and connected to the electricity system of the country's 221 MW wind power by the end of the previous year in operation and the largest wind farm in the country - Wind Farm St. Nicholas, with an installed capacity of 156 MW. Compared with 2008 the share of installed wind power grew by 5.1 percent to 13.8 percent during 2009 The construction of photovoltaic power plants (FETS) started a post at a preferential price of the regulator at the end of 2006 From 2007 to 2009 the installed capacity has increased from 0.03 MW to 5.7 MW. There are already in operation and two small power plants for combined heat and power from biogas. They produced electricity and 1.9 GWh is used to meet their own needs. Table 2: Installed capacity for electricity production from RES in Bulgaria

Investor interest in building wind and solar power plants is significant, according to data from the National Electricity Company and distribution companies in the country for accession requests for about 14,000 MW, but concluded preliminary agreements for accession and realistic new capacity expected to be introduced in the near future do not exceed 2000 MW. In 2009, electricity produced from renewable energy sources is 3711 GWh and is 8.7 percent of gross electricity production in the country (42,510 GWh). 

Structure of gross electricity production in Bulgaria Source: wash In hydroelectric plants produced 93.5 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources in the country. Production of electricity from VtETs continues to grow, but still share is minimal and is 6.4 percent of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the country.
  Meet the national indicative target for electricity consumption from RES In accordance with Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of production and consumption of electricity from RES in the internal electricity market in Bulgaria has set an indicative target of 11% share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in gross inland consumption of electricity in the country in favorable climatic conditions.