Solar Cities Bulgaria: Advancing Renewable Energy with Solar Maps, Guidelines, and Energy Offices

The EUKI-funded project Unlocking the Solar Potential of Burgas and Sofia, concluded since the end of 2023, has achieved remarkable success in expanding awareness of solar energy potential across both cities. ¹https://www.euki.de/en/euki-projects/burgas-sofia/ A highlight was the creation of Solar Maps-platforms for the two cities (Burgas and Sofia). ²https://burgas.solarcities.bg/ ³https://sofia.solarcities.bg/ These provide digital 3D models for over 10,000 buildings, enabling residents to determine the potential for PV installations. This data now informs updated city energy strategies. The potential CO2 emissions savings, if PV investments on studied buildings were implemented, are an impressive 17,713,126 kilograms per year: 5,545,459 kilograms per year in Burgas and 12,167,667 kilograms per year in the capital Sofia.

To further support solar adoption, energy offices were established in both cities, offering technical and financial guidance. By 2023, nearly 5,000 people had consulted the offices, and around 300 homeowner associations received support for the National Renovation Programme. „We’re proud that the energy office in Burgas continues to operate, supported by municipal and LIFE-Programme funding,“ said Ivaylo Trendafilov from Burgas Municipality. ⁴https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE22-CET-ComActivate-101120641/enabling-community-action-for-energy-sufficiency

The project also produced comprehensive PV system guidelines and a handbook on EU best practices for solar energy, ensuring long-term, sustainable solar deployment.

“The scale of the Solar Maps initiative is unprecedented in Europe. I have not seen another public platform in Europe that provides so accurate information about PV installation on roofs,” noted Trendafilov, highlighting the project’s replicability and interest from Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy which plans to extend the platform to 26 regional cities.

The project’s success has inspired the establishment of Burgas’s first energy cooperative and empowered nearly 20,000 stakeholders through training and exhibitions, including the city’s first renewable energy expo, now an annual event. These initiatives have sparked a local drive for renewable energy, ensuring continued momentum in Bulgaria’s transition to green energy.

• 1
  https://www.euki.de/en/euki-projects/burgas-sofia/
• 2
  https://burgas.solarcities.bg/
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  https://sofia.solarcities.bg/
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  https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE22-CET-ComActivate-101120641/enabling-community-action-for-energy-sufficiency