site.btaBulgaria Lacks Long-term Strategy for Decarbonization by 2050, Expert Says

Bulgaria does not have a fully-fledged decarbonization strategy to become climate-neutral by 2050, Radostina Primova, Senior Analyst at the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, said in a BTA interview. According to her, the document should have been completed a year and a half ago.

In Primova's words, more research and innovation efforts in climate technologies are needed to accelerate the process. In Bulgaria, there is lack of support for green entrepreneurship and there is a need to encourage investment in new low-carbon technologies, she said.

"The reason for the lack of progress is not due solely to the ongoing processes in the energy sector, but also in industry and transport. The discussion itself is mainly limited to the decommissioning of coal-fired and gas-fired power stations and some unrealistic expectations of carbon sequestration in the forestry and agriculture sector. There is a lack of real transformation in transport and industry, both in terms of energy consumption patterns and in transiting to low-carbon energy sources. As a result, industry is to become the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050," Primova explained.

The most effective way for Bulgaria to embark on the path of decarbonization is to transform its electricity supply and energy mix. This includes a coherent strategy of decommissioning coal-fired power plants, changes in the renewable energy sector, and attracting private investments in new technologies, such as offshore wind energy, geothermal energy, as well as technologies to accelerate electrification in buildings, industry and mobility, Primova stressed.

In addition to the new instruments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, Bulgaria can also benefit from seven other financial instruments - the EU Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund Plus, InvestEU, Horizon Europe, European Globalization Adjustment Fund, EU Innovation Fund, and the Modernization Fund, Primova recalled.

According to the analyst, achieving green transformation will be most difficult in industry and transport. Both will need government support, for example - to build better infrastructure and be encouraged to buy electric vehicles.

Special attention should be paid to industry, which remains highly dependent on fossil fuel consumption as well as highly energy intensive, Primova said, adding that in industry it is important to use innovative technologies and phase out fossil fuels by replacing them with renewable energy sources and to strengthen the circular economy.

After rail transport, river transport is considered one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the expert noted. River transport already plays an important economic role in transporting both goods and passengers across Europe. The European Commission is trying to strengthen the role of rail and river transport. Bulgaria is lagging behind in respect of this measure, as well, due to its underdeveloped railway infrastructure, Primova said.

The government should develop more incentives for green investments, such as income tax reductions for individuals and small companies that develop low-carbon economic activities. Consideration should be given to the introduction of monetary and non-monetary incentives to encourage decentralized energy production from renewable sources, as well as to the introduction of energy efficiency measures and low carbon technologies. In addition, Bulgaria needs to exploit the offshore wind potential in the Black Sea and create a regulatory framework for offshore wind energy, the expert stressed.

Furthermore, the scope of social benefits for energy poverty could be extended and improved to mitigate the negative effect on household income. More effective incentives need to be introduced to reduce coal and firewood consumption by households. A specific action plan for initial investment in small-scale renewable electricity capacities should also be developed, Primova told BTA.