The Institute of Energy for South East Europe (IENE), true
to its regional role and its commitment in promoting public dialogue, organized,
on October 10, an intensive workshop in Sofia on “Bulgaria’s Green Energy
Challenge”, which attracted more than 80 participants; investors, professionals
and experts of the RES Bulgarian sector. The workshop, organized in cooperation
with the Bulgarian Photovoltaic Association (BPVA), the Bulgarian Wind Energy
Association (BWEA), the Association of Producers of Ecological Energy (APEE),
the Bulgarian Green Building Council (BGWA) and the Bulgarian Geothermal
Association (BGA ), took place at a very critical time junction for RES in
Bulgaria due to the recent reductions in feed-in tariffs.
More specifically, the fast development of RES in the country
over the last five years and consistent efforts by government and NGO’s alike
to further raise public awareness on the need for energy efficiency and the
introduction of RES at all levels, were highlighted at the IENE workshop.The
need to meet the European targets of 20-20-20, the new developments following
latest significant cuts to feed-in tariffs by the Bulgarian government for wind
and solar PV, the lack of sufficient grid connections for large-scale renewable
projects, as well as the country’s long-term commitment to achieve greater
energy independence, were some important issues that were discussed during the
workshop.
The workshop’ s proceedings begun with introductory remarks
by IENE’s Executive Director, Mr. Costis Stambolis, followed by Dr. Tudor
Constantinescu, (Principal Adviser, Directorate General for Energy, European
Commission, Brussels), who made detailed reference to EU’s financial
instruments and to the European “Green Energy”policies. Dr. Constantinescu
referred to all the achievements that have been made up to this day, as well as
to future prospects, stressing the policies and instruments currently in place
in promoting energy efficiency.
Mr. John Chadjivasiliadis, consulting engineer and Secretary
General of IENE, emphasized the need for further participation of RES in the
energy mix of the SE Europe, stressing its importance for the achievement of
European targets of 20-20-20 as well as for the formation of new Energy Roadmap
towards 2050. The first session concluded with a thorough description of the
RES sector of Bulgaria by the Chairman of APEE, Mr. Velizar Kiriakov.
The absence of Bulgarian government officials and
representatives of state-owned companies from this very topical event for the
country’s energy agenda was most disappointing for all the participants at
IENE’s workshop, who were eager to discuss the controversial issue of the
recent abrupt reduction in feed-in tariffs in PV and wind energy.
Mr. Sebastian Noethlichs (Executive Director, BGWEA), Ms. Mariyanna
Yanneva (Deputy Executive Director, BGWEA), and mainly professionals of the PV
sector, including Mr. Nikola Gazdov (Chairman, BPVA), conveyed the strong
complaints of the RES investors who feel a strong sentiment of insecurity
regarding the viability of their projects. Moreover, Mr. George Ftikas (Lawyer,
KLC, Bulgaria), Mrs. Dilyana Ivanova (Partner, Ivanova & Ivanova Law
Office, Bulgaria) and Mr. Nickolay Kiskinov (Lawyer, Penkov, Markov &
Partners, Bulgaria) stressed the damage now caused to the business climate in
Bulgaria’s RES sector, and hence the discouragement caused to future
investments. As commented by the majority of the participants, the absence of
official representation demonstrated the authorities’ unwillingness to restore
a dialogue with RES investors, who have been taken by surprise by the recent
decisions.
On the other hand, the third session of “Bulgaria’s Green
Energy Challenge” workshop provided a tone of optimism, focusing on the
encouraging prospects of energy efficiency, especially in the building sector. The
presentations by Mr. Nikola Kaloyanov (Deputy Dean of Technical University
Sofia &Member of Board of Directors of BGBC) and Mr. Krasimir Naydenov, Director of Directorate
"Information and Analysis", Sustainable Energy Development Agency
-SEDA)) provided a very informative view on the energy efficiency policies in
Bulgaria, both in domestic and industrial facilities.
IENE’s workshop on “Bulgaria’s Green Energy Challenge”
concluded with the fourth session on innovative applications in biofuels,
co-generation and photovoltaics, with the participations of Mr. Branimir
Dilkovski (Partner, RSM Consulting, Bulgaria), Mr. Kostas Theofylaktos
(Chairman, Hellenic Association for the Cogeneration of Heat and Power,
Greece), Mr. MarkAnthony Chesner (Director - Project Development of The
National Association for Transfer of Technologies, Bulgaria).
This IENE event in Bulgaria was sponsored by Sky Solar
Bulgaria and EKO Bulgaria while www.energia.gr
was the Workshop’s media sponsor.