This project is completed. Supporting the energy transition of Burgas and Sofia (Bulgaria) by advancing photovoltaic system installation.
Buildings Energy Transition Energy Transition and Climate-Neutral Buildings Municipalities Renewable Energy
Bulgaria
09/21 - 12/23
Associations, Educational institutions, Private sector, Non-governmental organisations, Regional governments, Consumers
210,959.23 €
Ivaylo Trendafilov
To meet national climate targets, Bulgaria needs to achieve a one-third share of energy from renewable sources by 2030. Furthermore, the Bulgarian municipalities of Burgas and Sofia have each set the individual target of a 35 per cent share by 2030. Considering meteorologic conditions, solar power is the most promising renewable source of electricity for the two cities. However, photovoltaic systems (PVs) are not widely installed in the region yet, leaving enormous potential for energy transition unlocked.
The project team informed citizens, businesses, and public institutions on the potential of unused roof spaces in the cities of Burgas and Sofia to generate electricity from photovoltaic installations. For this purpose, the team developed a digital platform which provided practical information on which buildings were suitable for PV installations, how much energy they could potentially generate, how high the required investment was, and how long it would take for investment return. Additionally, the project team targeted potential investors and offered them detailed guidelines on processes and requirements for PV installation. A series of events and trainings targeted representatives of local and state administrations, of small and medium enterprises, of homeowner associations, public building managers, and residents of multi-family apartment buildings. These aimed to further spread knowledge and to pave the way for joint projects between city administration, businesses, and citizens/energy cooperatives. With these measures, the project team aimed to kickstart the broad installation of PVs in the region, thus contributing to its energy transformation and creating an example to follow for other municipalities in the region.
Further Links (all in Bulgarian):
Project website: https://solarcities.bg/
Burgas’ energy strategy: “Strategy for Sustainable Energy and Climate Burgas”
Sofia’s energy strategy: “Short term programme to promote the use of renewable energy and biofuels of Sofia municipality 2023-2025”
Handbook: Best Practice
Guidelines: Guidelines for implementation of PV installations
Last update: April 2025