site.btaEconomy Minister: 74% of Bulgarian Companies Use Natgas as Fuel, Only 37% of Them Can Substitute It

Caretaker Economy and Industry Minister Nikola Stoyanov said that 74% of Bulgarian companies use natural gas but only 37% of them can substitute it with an alternative fuel. Stoyanov was speaking during the opening of the MachTech & InnoTech Expo 2022, a fair of industrial machinery and technology, robotics, and automation at Sofia's Inter Expo Center.

The data are from a survey among Bulgarian enterprises, conducted by the Economy and Industry Ministry in August. It aims to give an updated picture of the needs of the business industry. The survey also shows that 60% of the companies cannot reduce their natural gas consumption. "The data, once again, show the importance of diversification and ensuring energy supply at best prices before the winter season," Stoyanov stated.

The Economy Minister congratulated the participants in the fair and said that the exports of Bulgarian companies in the mechanical engineering sector exceed BGN 4 billion. "Some 70% of the production in the sector is exported to European countries, which clearly shows that Bulgarian companies are highly competitive on the global market," he added.

MachTech & InnoTech Expo is being held for the thirteenth time. More than 130 companies are participating in the 2022 edition of the exhibition. A total of 250 global brands from Germany, Czechia, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Romania, and China will be presented over 4 days until September 16.