In recent years, Bulgaria has been trying to strengthen its position in positive development towards the use of renewable energy. With the promotion of the process and liberalization of the energy market, Bulgarian households now have the opportunity to become active producers and sellers of electricity through their own renewable sources. These changes in ZEVI give end users the right to participate in the production and sale of green energy.
Each end customer can become a user of their own electricity from renewable sources, and this includes the right to produce, store and even sell the surplus energy produced. These opportunities can be used through agreements with energy suppliers, purchase at market prices or participation in support schemes.
For households determined to invest in renewable sources, the law provides for the possibility of installing and operating energy storage facilities, and these facilities can be installed on their own property, without additional charges for using the electricity grid.
According to Art. 18a, end users located in one building can jointly participate in the production and consumption of green energy. This opens up opportunities to share the energy produced within the building, respecting the rights and obligations of each participant.
Consumers of own electricity from renewable sources must comply with the requirements of the law and cooperate with energy operators to settle issues related to the use of the electricity transmission network.
The law provides for the promotion of development for the consumption of own electricity from renewable sources. This includes measures to ensure access to green energy for all end-users, including low-income or vulnerable groups.
This represents an important step towards energy independence for households in Bulgaria. With the opportunity to participate in the production and sale of electricity, Bulgarian citizens can not only reduce their energy costs, but also contribute to the sustainability of the country's energy sector.
The Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (KEVR) sets preferential prices for the purchase of electricity from renewable sources, produced by energy facilities with a total installed capacity of up to and including 30 kW. These objects are planned to be located on roofs and facades of buildings connected to the electricity distribution network, as well as on real estate in urbanized areas. This move represents an extension of the previous practice, where KEVR set tariffs for RES with a total installed capacity of less than 500 kW.
Regarding energy facilities for the production of electricity from renewable sources with a total installed capacity of up to 1 MW, intended for construction on roofs and facades of buildings connected to the electricity distribution or closed electricity distribution network, as well as on adjacent real estate in urbanized areas, an opinion is issued for the conditions and manner of their joining within established terms:
1. 15 days - when the place of connection of energy objects up to and including 30 kW, which are planned to be built on roof and facade structures of buildings connected to the electricity distribution network and on real estate to them in urbanized areas coincides with the place where it is installed the means of commercial measurement of consumed electrical energy in cases where the installed power does not exceed the power provided for connecting the building as a consumer object.
2. 20 days for energy objects with a total installed capacity of up to 30 kW inclusive, with the exception of the energy objects under item 1;
3. 40 days for energy facilities with a total installed capacity of 30 kW to 1 MW.
The period for completing the procedures for the accession of an energy object, starting from the submission of the request for an opinion on the conditions and method of accession, is set at 6 months. It is important to note that this period does not include the time required for the design and construction of connection facilities, as well as for the reconstruction and modernization of the electrical networks related to the construction of the relevant energy facility for the production of electrical energy from renewable sources. completion of the specified period, the manufacturer may request an extension of the term within the validity of the issued opinion and the concluded preliminary contract.
Within three months after receiving an opinion on the conditions and method of connection, producers of electricity from renewable sources must provide a guarantee in favor of the operator of the respective electricity network. This guarantee can be provided in the form of a deposit or a bank guarantee and depends on the connected capacity of the future energy facility - BGN 50,000 for each megawatt (MW). In case of failure to provide the due guarantee within the established period, the opinion is considered invalid . With the conclusion of a preliminary contract or contract of accession, the guarantee provided serves as an insurance mechanism for the fulfillment of the obligations of the producer in relation to the accession of the site. The guarantee provided by the manufacturer is released upon the connection of the site, and the relevant operator can make a set-off with the connection price due by the manufacturer up to the amount of the smaller of the two counter-obligations.
In situations where the connection of an object to the power distribution network necessitates the need for expansion or reconstruction in the power transmission network, the operator of the power transmission network can offer a temporary access scheme to connect all or part of the requested power of the object.
This temporary scheme applies until the necessary expansions or reconstructions are carried out. In order to ensure the security of the electricity system, the operator of the electricity transmission network has the right to impose restrictions on the use of objects that are connected to the electricity distribution network during the operation of the temporary scheme of access for the site of the electricity distribution network operator.
It is important to note that such restrictions can only be imposed in relation to sites where the owners agree to them and they are connected to the electricity distribution network within the framework of the temporary access scheme for the site of the electricity distribution network operator.
In the event of such restrictions being imposed, neither the operator of the electricity transmission network nor the operator of the electricity distribution network shall be liable for any damages suffered by the owners of the affected sites as a result of the restrictions applied. This is necessary to ensure stability and reliability in the power system.
For a period of one calendar year, the Power System Security Fund provides premiums to producers of electricity from renewable sources, according to the provisions of Art. 36i, para. 1 of the Law on Energy. These premiums are paid for the quantities of electricity for which certain conditions are met.
Producers receive premiums from the Fund based on achieved criteria for the production of electricity from renewable sources and realized revenues that are in accordance with the defined standards for net specific production. This mechanism serves to stimulate the sustainable development of the energy sector and promote production from renewable sources.
You can find the promulgated texts of the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Energy from Renewable Sources HERE.
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