18/06/2024

The national conference "Energy Communities: Drivers of the Energy Transition in Bulgaria" took place in a hybrid format and was organised by BSERC, the Bulgarian partner in the SHAREs project.

M. Trifonova, PhD, a senior expert at BSERC, opened the panel sessions with a powerful message: "Initiatives for social innovation, whether they create energy communities or other forms of collaboration, unite citizens, foster a common mindset, and empower them to be agents of change crucial for our society."

The conference highlighted the central role of citizen energy projects in the energy transition. Discussions covered essential topics such as the registration and regulation of energy communities, the need for financial incentives, analysis of their development and experiences, connectivity and energy sharing within the community, and support tools and mechanisms for emerging citizen-led initiatives.

A. Holzmann, the SHAREs project coordinator, outlined that: "The main success factors for energy communities are a clear legal and regulatory framework favouring their establishment, a step-by-step development with close collaboration from stakeholders and pioneers, and robust financial and advisory support." She also showcased Austria's supportive framework as a model to follow.

The event featured good practices from Germany, Austria, and Georgia, presented by the SHAREs project consortium, as well as emerging local initiatives from the Bulgarian municipalities of Gabrovo, Burgas, and the Vitosha Region.

Panellists included experts from the Ministry of Energy, the Sustainable Energy Development Agency and the European association of citizens' energy cooperatives REScoop.eu. The event attracted leading national and European experts, representatives of the energy sector, local authorities and civil organisations, all seeking sustainable solutions to promote the development of energy communities in Bulgaria.

N. Nalbantov, Director of "Energy Strategies and Policies for Sustainable Energy Development" at the Ministry of Energy, stressed that: "In order to develop energy communities, which are new market participants in Bulgaria, there must be incentives for their creation. This requires a fully liberalised energy market for domestic end-users."

J. Roberts, Senior Policy Advisor of REScoop.eu, discussed the challenges: "Citizens often lack knowledge of the concept, trust, and know-how. Key enablers include financial incentives and information that provides citizens with the technical capacity to undertake these projects or find help". He also talked about the future European goals which include developing customer-owned district heating networks, enabling citizen participation in renewables excellence areas, and promoting collaboration between citizens and local authorities."

Overall, the national conference effectively brought together a wide range of stakeholders. It served as a catalyst of visions, missions and inspirations for a democratic energy transition through the development of energy communities in Bulgaria.