Sofia, 27.04.2013: Over the last thirty years, our country has missed numerous opportunities to empower individuals to become more energy-efficient and independent. Instead of catching up, the current energy crisis is pressuring us, and we run the risk of reinforcing the existing energy monopoly. While procedures have been streamlined for large investors, significant barriers continue to impede households and energy communities from contributing unused energy to the grid. The importance of energy efficiency extends beyond households. It is equally vital for businesses and municipalities, and they should prioritize it just as much as individual consumers do.

Habitat Bulgaria and the civic association Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development have organized a collaborative event. At this event, they introduced strategies to address the obstacles hindering the widespread adoption of solar energy among households. Their goal is to enable households to become energy producers by utilizing the net metering system with ease. The event attracted over 30 participants, including representatives of various organizations, such as the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues under the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Agency for Sustainable Energy Development, and municipalities, universities, professional associations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Organizers raised critical questions to all participants, focusing on the significance of introducing the “prosumer” and “net metering” concepts to the Bulgarian energy sector. They also addressed the need to simplify the bureaucratic process for installing home photovoltaic systems. During the final discussion, all the identified gaps were thoroughly analyzed, and a proposal was made to develop a comprehensive Roadmap. This roadmap aims to align Bulgarian legislation with European standards while encouraging and promoting active participation in energy initiatives. This initiative would not only reduce our energy dependence but also contribute to the EU's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

The event is the first in a series of workshops of the Parties Advisory Board for the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Solar Energy by Households, part of the EUKI project SUNRISE – Prosumer Solar Energy, which Habitat Bulgaria is implementing in a consortium, led by the  Initiative for Housing in Eastern Europe (IWO), and partnered by the Lithuanian Consumers Alliance (LCA), Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), German Solar Energy Company (DGS) and Habitat Macedonia. The project's primary objective is to address and overcome barriers hindering the adoption by households in multi-family residential buildings of renewable energy, with a specific focus on solar energy..

In Bulgaria, the adoption of photovoltaic systems for balconies and facades with a plug-in socket (Plug-in photovoltaic with installed power up to 800W) remains less popular when compared to Western European countries, where an increasing number of households are embracing this technology. These photovoltaic systems offer a cost-effective solution with substantial potential to educate citizens about the benefits of utilizing solar energy. They can serve as an incentive for individuals to consider installing higher capacity solar energy systems in residential buildings.

The project advocates for the implementation of tools that facilitate and incentivize households to adopt plug-in PV systems. This includes the introduction of net metering for energy production and consumption on an annual basis. The project aims to contribute to the European Union's ambitious targets of achieving a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2050. Its importance is  evident in the current context, where soaring energy prices put an emphasis on  utilizing renewable energy for electricity generation, even at the household level.

As part of the event, a discussion titled Being Active in Energy Efficiency was held. This discussion is a component of an advocacy campaign aimed at promoting energy independence and is organized by the Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development and Green Laws. They are currently executing the project Being Energy Independent, which is funded by the Active Citizens Bulgaria Fund under the EEA Financial Mechanism for the period 2014-2021.

Additional sources of information: 

Program: Workshop to promote the use of renewable solar energy by households and a discussion on Being Active in Energy Efficiency

Презентации:
What does Plug-in PV represent?
Let's Be Active in Energy Efficiency: Producer and Consumer 
Roadmap

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