Bulgaria is set to invest nearly 526 million Bulgarian lev (approximately 268 million euros) into 249 renewable energy production and energy storage projects, as part of its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), the government announced. The initiative aims to significantly expand the country’s renewable energy capacity while enhancing its energy storage infrastructure. The projects have been evaluated, with all work expected to be completed by March 31, 2026.
The funding is distributed across two major calls for proposals, each targeting different scales of renewable energy projects.
Call 1: Smaller-scale projects
The first call focused on projects with installed capacities between 200 kW and 2 MW. A total of 327 proposals were submitted, with 267 accepted for ranking. Out of these, 200 projects will receive funding totaling 107 million lev (about 54.7 million euros), which will add 435 MW of new renewable energy capacity and 176 MW of energy storage. Due to limited funds, 67 projects, totaling 44 million lev (approximately 22.4 million euros), were placed on a reserve list.
Call 2: Larger-scale projects
The second call targeted larger projects with installed capacities above 200 kW. A total of 70 proposals were submitted, with 65 moving forward. This round will fund 49 projects worth 419 million lev (about 214 million euros), resulting in the addition of 2,660 MW of renewable energy capacity and 1,000 MW of energy storage. However, 16 projects, valued at nearly 43 million lev (around 21.9 million euros), were placed on a reserve list due to funding constraints.
Strategic focus on renewable energy and storage
Bulgaria’s Minister of Energy, Vladimir Malinov, emphasized the strategic importance of these investments in driving the country’s energy transition. “The production of electricity from renewable sources and the provision of sufficient electricity storage capacity are essential to meeting the challenges of the Green Deal,” he said. “Investments in decarbonized electricity production are key to modernizing our energy industry and ensuring a sustainable future.”
The energy storage component of the projects is crucial for addressing challenges such as grid congestion, power balancing, and market stability—issues that arise as renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, are increasingly integrated into the national grid.
Expected impact and future growth
The projects funded by this initiative are expected to contribute around 3 GW of new renewable energy capacity and approximately 1.2 GW of energy storage to Bulgaria’s power grid. These developments align with the country’s commitment to climate neutrality and increasing the share of clean energy in its overall energy mix.
Additionally, the significant interest in these projects highlights the growing attractiveness of Bulgaria’s sustainable energy sector to investors. The successful implementation of these projects will be pivotal in advancing Bulgaria’s energy goals, including reducing carbon emissions, improving grid stability, and ensuring the country’s compliance with EU climate targets.
In summary, Bulgaria’s ambitious investment in renewable energy and storage projects signals a strong push toward a greener, more sustainable energy future, with the added benefit of boosting energy security and market stability in the region.
