Bulgaria expects to connect between 1 GW and 1.5 GW of new solar photovoltaic capacity to the electricity network in 2024, according to Dimitar Zarchev, the director of the Central Dispatch Office of Electricity System Operator (ESO).
This will bring the total installed solar capacity across the country to about 4.5 GW, Zarchev added during a panel discussion at an energy summit in Sofia.
According to estimates by the Association for Production, Storage, and Trading of Electricity (APSTE), Bulgaria has nearly tripled its installed solar capacity, rising from just over 1 GW at the end of 2020 to nearly 3 GW by the end of 2023.
However, this rapid expansion brings new challenges, as oversupply is expected to begin as early as March, necessitating measures to manage the surplus, Zarchev noted.
The influx of solar energy is expected to result in negative prices, which can be addressed through a market-driven mechanism. This approach offers a more sustainable solution compared to implementing production constraints, Zarchev added.
