At the first reading, the Parliamentary Committee on Energy approved the legislative changes submitted by the Council of Ministers concerning the Renewable Energy Sources Act. The primary objective of the bill is to finalize the transposition into Bulgarian law of the provisions set forth in Directive (EU) 2023/2413, which regulates the promotion of energy from renewable sources. It is important to note that the deadline for implementing these European requirements expired on May 21, 2025.
The proposed amendments aim to adapt the current legal framework to support the achievement of the ambitious goal of climate neutrality within the European Union by 2050. As an intermediate milestone, a requirement has been set to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, using 1990 emission levels as a baseline for comparison.
The legislative changes focus on several specific measures:
- facilitating the process of concluding power purchase agreements for electricity generated from renewable sources;
- stimulating the production and consumption of such energy within buildings;
- strengthening cooperation between member states through the implementation of joint projects;
- developing areas for the accelerated deployment of renewable energy, while encouraging the active participation of local communities in these energy initiatives.
The text provides for an extension of the validity period of the opinions required for the connection of producers using wind energy. At the same time, incentives are being introduced for decentralized systems designed for electricity storage and production. A scheme for fuel supplier obligations is also being regulated, including a mechanism that allows operators of publicly accessible charging points to support these goals by providing electricity from renewable sources.
The scope of the amendments also includes the modernization of heating and cooling systems. Special attention is given to district heating and cooling systems, the development of which is viewed as a means to achieve a better balance in the electricity system.