Parliament's energy committee has backed changes to the Renewable Energy Act at second reading. The changes make it easier to sign deals to buy power from renewable sources and encourage the production and use of green energy in buildings.
The law completes Bulgaria's adoption of EU Directive 2023/2413 on promoting renewable energy. The deadline was 21 May 2025.
The directive's aim is for the EU to be climate neutral by 2050. The interim goal is to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.
EU member states will be able to work together faster on joint renewable energy projects. The text also adds rules for the zones where renewables are to be built faster, and local communities will be encouraged to take part in energy projects in the priority zones.
Grid connection opinions for wind power producers will stay valid for longer. The law offers incentives for power generation and storage systems that are not centralised. It also encourages the growth of heating and cooling, especially district systems, which help balance the power system.
The law also provides for measures on heat from renewable sources, and a scheme to issue and trade credits for renewable electricity in transport.
The Energy Ministry said the environmental requirements and procedures under the Environmental Protection Act and the Biodiversity Act do not change. The same goes for the check on whether an investment proposal needs an environmental assessment.
The ministry said that when priority zones for wind farms are chosen, protected areas and sites in the National Ecological Network are excluded. So are known bird migration routes, forest and permanent grassland areas, and others.
The rules for building, rebuilding and commissioning renewable energy sites stay the same.