Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov proposed to work jointly with the EC towards developing a coal phase-out plan in order to meet the EU’s emission reduction targets, as a response to the European Commission’s (EC) report on Bulgaria’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).
PM Borisov said that Bulgaria greatly supports the fight against climate change, environmental protection, low-carbon emissions but at the same time it wants to find a plan, together with the EC, for the countries of central and eastern Europe whose energy sector are mainly coal-based. Bulgaria is one of those countries, as over 60 % of its electricity comes from coal-based generation.
Earlier this week, the EC said that it has advised Bulgaria to include measures supporting the coal phase-out strategy in its NECP in order to ensure just transition from coal-based to more climate-friendly energy production. Bulgaria is one of four EU member states, along with Poland, Romania and Croatia, that have not planned any coal phase -out before 2030.
Bulgaria’s NECP establishes a share of 27.09 % of energy from renewable sources as the country’s contribution to the EU’s renewable energy target for 2030. This contribution is adequate, as it matches the EU target of at least 27 % by 2030. According to Bulgaria’s draft strategy for sustainable energy development until 2030, the country has no intentions to shut down its coal-fired power plants due to the importance of domestic coal for its energy sector. However, it also plans to build additional 2.6 GW of installed capacity in renewable sources, mostly solar, by the end of 2030.
