Bulgaria

• Bulgaria: EU Funds to Boost Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Energy-
  In terms of solar heating and cooling, the Bulgarian government is planning to increase the number of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects not only for residential buildings, but also for small and medium enterprises. Two new incentive programmes have been presented over the last weeks by Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, and Delyan Dobrev, newly appointed Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism.
• 50 % Subsidy Scheme for Energy Renovation of Bulgarian Homes (ERBH)- Between July 2012 and July 2015, individual home owners and associations of flat owners in the thirty-six biggest cities in Bulgaria can apply for grants and loans to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and install renewable energy systems for solar heating and cooling. The Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works provides EUR 25 million in grants through its EU Structural Fund Operative Programme “Regional Development”. The Corporate Commercial Bank offers another EUR 6.5 million to co-finance low-interest loans. 
  
• Bulgaria: Grants and Loans for Commercial Clients- On 14 May, the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism is starting its “Energy Efficiency and Green Economy Programme” (EEGEP). It enables small and medium enterprises, which want to utilise renewable energies and energy-efficient measures such as solar heating and cooling, to apply for grants and loans in order to recover part of the investment costs.
• Moldova: Moldenergy 2012 – Where Energy Experts Meet-

  The only event for the solar market in the Republic of Moldova is Moldenergy, the International Specialized Exhibition for power-saving technologies, gas, heating and air conditioning systems. The four-day event took place in the middle of this March for the 16th year in a row. It has brought together 67 companies from Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Bulgaria and has been visited by 11,300 people - a considerable increase from last year’s event, at which 50 companies and 10,000 visitors were present.
  Photo: InfoEst.ro

• Bulgaria: Sunny Mood at SEE Solar 2012 in Sofia-

  While representatives from over 250 companies and 31 countries gathered at the Inter Expo Center Sofia for the 8th South-East European Solar Exhibition on 28 March, the Bulgarian government decided to cancel the highly controversial Belene Nuclear Power Plant project. Of course, the timing was only a coincidence. But still, the government’s decision could have an impact on the future development of renewable energies in Bulgaria. For years, critics of the government’s plans to set up the Belene plant for an estimated EUR 10 billion feared that the project could tie funds urgently needed to improve the country’s poor energy efficiency and leave too little money for green energy projects, such as solar thermal installations on the roofs of public buildings. Now, with a definite end to the idea of another nuclear power plant, market players in Bulgaria hope for new growth in the sector of alternative energies.
  Photo: Frank Stier

• Bulgaria: Sofia Seeks ESCO model for Solar Systems on Public Buildings -

  Making Sofia a “clean and green city” and “a European capital in sustainable development” is what Yordanka Fandukova (see photo) promised before being re-elected as mayor in October of 2011. As an important part of her plans, she named the installation of solar thermal energy facilities on roofs of public buildings, such as nurseries, schools, hospitals and administrative centres. However, the implementation has not worked out as desired, admits Irina Savina, Sofia’s Deputy Mayor for Investments and Construction. So far, only five nurseries have been equipped with a solar water heating system. Photo: Wikipedia

• BEERECL: Grants and Loans for the Commercial Sector in Bulgaria-

  Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Credit Line (BEERECL) for the commercial sector is extended a second time. BEERECL will receive an additional EUR 50 million between 2009 and 2011 to reduce Bulgaria’s energy intensity, which is reportedly two times higher than the average energy intensity for an EU country. So far the programme has not enjoyed a high popularity in the solar thermal sector. Only 4 solar thermal installations are among the 126 commercial projects that have already been financed since the start of BEERECL 2004 (status March 2009).

• Bulgaria: Great Demand for Solar Thermal Credit Funds-

  On the state level, Bulgaria is lagging behind in making use of the funds provided by the EU. Only Romania ranks worse in the comparison of EU member states. But how are things going for the Bulgarian population – do they fare better than their authorities in utilising the available EU funds to improve energy efficiency in their homes? Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Bulgarian bankers about their experience when it comes to supporting Bulgarian home owners with loans and grants for energy-efficient measures. The scheme supporting solar thermal systems in residential buildings is the Bulgarian Residential Energy Efficiency Credit Line (REECL) (see database of incentive programmes). Small-size commercial projects are financed by the Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Credit Line (BEERECL).

• REECL: Grants and Loans for Bulgarian Private Sector- Since 2005, the Residential Energy Efficiency Credit Line (REECL) 18 loans and grants for private home owners in order to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector. Solar thermal energy installations are eligible for the scheme, too. In summer 2011, REECL has been extended to now run until July 2014 (see http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/3310). The programme is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and shows a budget of EUR 40 million.
• Bulgaria: Renewable Energy Act Removes Bureaucratic Hurdles on Solar Installations-

  In May 2011, the Bulgarian government published its new Renewable Energy Act, with considerably less favourable conditions for investors in wind farm and photovoltaic projects. However, it removed some hurdles for installing solar collector systems on residential housing by eliminating construction permits for solar water heater installations. Solarthermalworld.org has asked some solar thermal system providers if this new requirement supported market development. The photo shows a solar thermal installation in the village of Lozen in the south-west of Bulgaria.
  Photo: Frank Stier

• Bulgaria: New Manufacturer notice Up and Down on the Market-

  The city of Shumen in the northeast of Bulgaria is becoming the centre of the national solar thermal industry. Right next to already established solar system manufacturer New Energy Systems, Bulgarian company Tesy has built up a solar tank and collector production unit last year. The company invested EUR 5 million for the new building and machinery.
  Photo: Tesy

• SEE Solar - South-East European Solar Exhibition, Sofia- South-East European Solar Exhibition (SEE Solar) will present up-to-date photovoltaic and solar thermal systems and bring together manufacturers, installers, investors, designers and consultants. The exhibition will take place parallel to the 8^th South-East European Congress & Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Sofia, Bulgaria from 28 to 30 March 2012. Both events are organized by Via Expo.
• Widening the Thermal Solar Energy Exploitation by the Successful Models (2011)-

  Running until 2012, “Widening the Thermal Solar Energy Exploitation by the Successful Models" (WidetheSee) is a project developed by 11 South-Eastern European countries and co-financed by the EU. It aims at promoting the usage of solar thermal technologies for domestic hot water appliances in the context of European policies concerning renewable energy sources and the reduction of fossil fuel dependence.

• Bulgaria: BEERECL Programme Extended -

• 8th South-East European Congress & Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Sofia- The countries of South-East Europe are facing numerous environmental challenges. The increasing of energy efficiency and renewable energy application is the best way for sustainable economic development of the Region. The 8^th International Congress and Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources takes place from 28 - 30 March 2012 in Sofia.
• Bulgaria: Results of a Market Survey-

  Solar systems in Bulgaria are mainly used for generating hot water for domestic uses. The second biggest score in a survey among solar thermal system suppliers gained the sector of hotels and recreation facilities, particularly at the Black Sea coast and in mountain resorts.
  Source: Sofia Energy Centre

• “We were prepared for this Outcome” -

  In most of the National Renewable Energy Plans (NREAPs), solar thermal was not a priority. Only 8 countries announced significant collector area and growth rates (see news here). solarthermalworld.org asked Xavier Noyon, Secretary General of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), about the reasons behind this lack of consideration, and about the actions which have to be taken now.
  Photo: ESTIF

• Solar Concentrator (2010)-

  This is a brochure made by a Bulgarian company Bulgaria Therm about a solar concentrator which can be used for heating and cooling in a winter, such as in a summer period. A comparison between this product and a solar collector is provided by graphics and schemes. Functional and technical characteristics are detailed and visually presented and the utility of its use in systems of cooling and heating are presented with a better ratio of efficiency than a solar collector. This solar concentrator can be linked to an energy network or to a private house.

• Solar Collectors: an Evaluation and Comparative Analysis of the Conditions of Bulgaria (2009)-

  This is a document presented by Maya Stoyanova from the Bulgarian Center for Solar Energy, during the seminar “Sustainable development of buildings: solar energy and life cycle assessment of buildings”, organized with the support of the Intelligent Energy Europe programme, in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2009.

• Solar Energy: Let’s Look at the World with Different Eyes (2006) -

  This is a presentation on different solar energy technologies, including photovoltaics and thermal. After a brief schematisation on what is the solar energy and how it can be used, the author explains the main differences between passive and active solar systems.

• Trans-Solar: Knowledge Transfer to 7 CEE Partner Countries -

  After running for 26 months, the European Trans-Solar project finally ended in January 2010. Its aim had been to transfer solar thermal know-how from the old EU Member States to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
  Source: www.cres.gr/trans-solar/

• EE & RES Congress and Exhibition for South-East Europe, Sofia- The 7th International Congress and Exhibition on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources takes place from 13 - 15 April 2011 in Sofia. Speakers from Bulgarian and foreign companies, institutions and associations will present the latest achievements and novelties in the field of the renewable energy and energy efficiency: technologies for solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and bio energy, energy efficient solutions, project financing and investment. Germany is again the Strategic partner of the event.
• A Big Pilot Solar Thermal Installation in a Social House, Bulgaria - The elderly people home “St. Vassilij Veliki” was constructed and brought into operation in 1983. In that period, the price of the energy carriers was insignificant. In the transition period and presently the price of energy reached the international values, as a result to which the cost of the energy needs constitutes almost 50% of the maintenance costs of the house. Therefore, the construction of the big solar thermal installation for domestic hot water of the elderly people home has not only economic, but also a social effects, since the
• Solar Thermal Applications in Eastern Europe with Guaranteed Solar Results. The East- GSR Project (2008)-

  This is the final report of the EU funded project East-GSR (2006-2008), created to support the development of the solar thermal market in 5 Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia). One of the main objectives of the project was to promote the performance guarantee approach for large solar thermal systems focusing on the example of the Guaranteed Solar Results (GSR) contract. The project was coordinated by the French Energy Agency ADEME.

• REPAP2020: Roadmap Fixes 2020 Targets for the Solar Share in the Heating and Cooling Sector-

  Some countries in Europe have made plans for using solar energy to cover between 1 and 4% of their gross final demand of heating and cooling by 2020. The states with the most ambitious targets regarding their national sector are Portugal, Germany and France.
  Source: National RES Industry Roadmaps

• Bulgaria: REECL Supports Nine Times More Heat Pumps than Solar Water Heaters-

  

• International Exhibition on ЕЕ and RES for SE Europe, Sofia- The 2010 edition of the exhibition will bring together again key players from the EE & RES industry sector from many countries like manufacturers, researches and users of renewable energy sources. The event will underline the market’s trends, needs and opportunities. The exhibition targets all relevant businesses, technology centres, research institutes, universities, that offer or need innovative technology in the energy and eco-construction sectors as well as institutions that are seeking to set up business partnerships.
• International Congress & Exhibition on Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Sources for South-East Europe, Sofia- The 5^th International Congress & Exhibition on Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Sources for South-East Europe will take place on 6^th to 8^th April 2009 in the National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria. Again its goal is to encourage investment in energy efficiency and the implementation of renewable energy in the Region of South-East Europe. Germany is traditionally a strategic partner, and Austria is the 2009 "country in focus".
• A Big Pilot Solar Thermal Installation in a Social House, Bulgaria - The elderly people home “St. Vassilij Veliki” was constructed and brought into operation in 1983. In that period, the price of the energy carriers was insignificant. In the transition period and presently the price of energy reached the international values, as a result to which the cost of the energy needs constitutes almost 50% of