Friday, May 7, 2010

Bulgarian Law on Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels

The Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels Act (RAESBA) was adopted on 7th June 2007 by the National Assembly and was promulgated in the Official Gazette, No 49 of 19.06.2007.
The Act regulates the public relationships related to encouraging the production and use of electric, heat and/or cooling energy from RES and AES, as well as production and the use of biofuels.
To encourage the electricity generation from RES, the following is planned:

  • Purchasing at preferential prices of the RES electric energy, with the exception of HPP electricity with installed capacity of over 10 MW; 
  • Mandatory buy of the electric energy generated from renewable Sources of Energy", with the exception of HPP electricity with installed capacity of over 10 MW;
  • The term of validity of the long-term contracts shall be 25 years – for the electricity generated form geothermal and solar energy and respectively 15 years – for the electricity generated from hydroelectric power plants with installed capacity less than 10 MW, as well as for the electricity generated from other renewable sources;
  • Obligatory and priority connection of each producer of electric energy from RES and AES to the closest distribution or transmission enterprise.
The Act also introduces an incentives mechanism for the production of heat and/or cooling energy from RES by issuing certificates of origin.
The key mechanism for stimulating the use of biofuel in the transport sector is the introduced obligation of all producers and importers of liquid fuels for transport needs to market fossil fuels blended with biofuels in the maximum percentage ratio as established in the Ordinance under Art. 8, Para. 1 of the Clean Air Act.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Potential of renewable energy sources in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a certain potential of renewable energy sources (RES) and could cover part of its energy needs through utilization, development and exploitation of the renewable sources. RES are domestic resources and their utilization would contribute for reduction of the energy resources import dependence of the country and will also have a positive social effect.
The following is stated in the technical adaptations to the Bulgarian Accession Act concerning 2001/77/EC Directive on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market:

Bulgaria could accept for realistic a target of 10 % share of the RES electricity in the gross domestic electricity consumption till 2010. Furthermore it is possible to achieve a target of 11 % climate conditions are favorable.



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The increasing prices of the petrol, electricity problems in major geographical areas, the ambitious environmental goals of the European Union and the need for new energy sources are only some of the preconditions which have led to the idea for developing of new Law on Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources (AES) and Biofuels (prom. SG-49 of 19.06.2007 amended SG-98 of 14.11.2008, into force since 14.11.2008).
The Law regulates the public relations related to the support for production and consumption of electrical, heating and cooling energy from RES and AES, as well as the consumption of biofuels.
The main goals of the Law are the following:
• Support for the development and utilization of technologies for production and consumption of RES and AES energy and consumption of biofuels;
• Reduction of the expenses for import of energy resources;
• Increase of the capacity of the small and medium-sized enterprises, RES and AES energy producers and biofuels producers;
• Diversification of energy supply;
• Creation of conditions for achievement of sustainable development at local and regional level and;
• Protection of the environment.
The new RES installations are obligatory connected to the electricity grid with a high priority. This means that the RES producer will be preferentially connected to the electricity grid before the producer of any other conventional electricity.
So far the State Regulatory Commission has set the feed-in tariffs for hydro power plants, biomass electricity, wind power energy and photovoltaic energy. The State Regulatory Commission will set up the feed-in tariffs for other RES when the request from an investor has been made.
A long-term contract for obligatory purchase of RES electricity at feed-in tariffs set by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission is established for all new producers starting production before 31 December 2015. These contracts are for:
• 25 years – for the PV and geothermal energy;
• 15 years – for all the other RES, including the hydro power plants up to 10 MW installed capacity.

Main steps for registration a firm, working in the field of energy services under the Energy Efficiency Law


The energy services that could be offered by given company are two – investigation and certification of buildings. The basic requirements for this kind of company are regulated in the Energy Efficiency Law, Article 23, para 1, point 1,2 and 3.
Obligatory condition is in the structure of such a company to be 3 experts – heating technology expert, electrician and architect or civil engineer.
The education of the persons performing energy investigation and certification of buildings is held in six universities: Technical University-Sofia, Technical University-Varna, Technical University-Gabrovo, University of food technology – Plovdiv, University “Angel Kunchev” – Ruse.
The next step is the experts to be entered in the Registry, which is operated by Energy Efficiency Agency (http://www.seea.government.bg/).
The conditions under which the experts are entered are settled down in Ordinance N: RD-16-348, 2.04.2009 about conditions, subject of enter into a public register of persons implementing energy investigation and certification of buildings, the circumstances for qualification acquire and necessary technical means, issued by Minster of economy and energy.
According to the Ordinance the Agency for Energy Efficiency shall enter into a public register the persons on their own written request. The request shell contains:
1. the company, the address of offices as entered into trade register;
2. name, Personal Identification Number and contact details;
3. description of main activities for which the entry is required;
4. request for issuing of certificate.
The request shell be accompanied by:
1. actual certificate for entry in trade register, unless the Identification code according the Trade register will be indicated in accordance with Trade Register Law.
2. declaration that the applicant have the necessary technical means to implement the corresponding activities for the time certificate is in force;
3. list of stuff, which shell contain:
  • legalized copy of diploma proving the required high technical education, elementary technical education and a copy of papers verifying the duly work experience.
  • legalized copy of certificate for successfully took exams for acquiring the necessary qualification for performing investigations for energy efficiency and certification of buildings;
  • document certifying that
  • legalized copy of document for paid fee.

The necessary staff–natural persons who will perform the investigation for energy efficiency in buildings shell be at least:
1. one architect or civil engineer;
2. one expert in heat technology;
3. one expert in electrical engineering.

The necessary staff–natural persons who will perform the investigation for energy efficiency of industry systems shell be at least:
1. one expert in thermal power engineering;
2. one expert in heat technology;
3. one expert in electrical engineering.

All documents shell be in Bulgarian language. The documents issued in other languages must be officially translated.
The request shell be submitted by authorized person or other person notarized power of attorney
Requests submitted by mail or by an express services before a given deadline, even though they are submitted out of working hours will be considered submitted on time.