Bulgaria allocates 3 GW of renewables capacity, 1.17 GW of storage in auction

Sofia: The Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has announced the final results of the country’s first renewable energy auction. The government allocated BGN 526 million in funds to 397 projects in the procurement exercise.

The government has set aside BGN 107.5 million for projects between 200 kW and 2 MW, and BGN 427.5 million for projects over 2 MW. The first group contracted 435 MW of generating capacity and 176 MW of storage, while the second group secured 2.66 GW of generating capacity and 1 GW of storage.

The selected developers must complete their projects by March 31, 2026.

The auction is part of Bulgaria‘s National Recovery and Sustainability Plan, aimed at economic and social recovery post-pandemic.

In May 2021, Bulgaria committed to phasing out coal by 2038 and, in 2023, launched a program to promote solar water heating systems, rooftop PV arrays, and batteries.

By the end of 2023, Bulgaria had deployed 2,937 MW of solar capacity, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The country wants renewables to account for 34.7% of electricity consumption by 2030.