Bulgaria launches household solar rebate scheme

According to PV Magazine, Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has announced that a BGN 240 million ($134 million) rebate scheme is now open for applications from households seeking to install solar water heating systems and rooftop PV arrays, potentially coupled with battery energy storage systems.

“Bulgaria’s solar target remains low as PV will only account for 2.6% of electricity in 2040,” SPE said in its 2022-26 EU solar market outlook. “Yet Bulgaria benefits from high irradiation rates, notably in the south of the country, and has an important solar potential, which is not reflected in the current target.”

In 2020, SPE forecast Bulgaria to hit 3.8 GW by 2024, thereby exceeding its 2030 target. The momentum was expected to be mainly supported by unsubsidized large-scale solar projects built under power purchase agreements (PPA).

However, in October 2022, Bulgaria‘s electricity system operator revealed that it had accepted applications to build new renewable energy projects with an aggregate installed capacity of more than 24 GW – double the country's installed generating capacity. It said the new projects require a significant expansion of the grid and that it was talking to potential investors about the necessary actions.

Bulgaria's power generation fleet is dominated by lignite and hard coal-fired power stations, which account for 4.5 GW. Non-hydropower renewables make up around 2.3 GW, hydro 3.2 GW, nuclear 2 GW, and natural gas 600 MW.