In 2023, nearly 22.6% of Bulgaria’s energy is sourced from renewables.

BRUSSELS/SOFIA – In 2023, Bulgaria generated approximately 22.6% of its energy from renewable sources, a notable increase from 19.04% in 2022, according to the latest figures from the European statistical agency Eurostat. This performance places Bulgaria 14th among EU countries in terms of renewable energy usage.

Leading the EU in renewable electricity usage are Sweden (66.4%), Finland (50.8%), and Denmark (44.9%). Conversely, the countries with the lowest shares are Luxembourg (11.6%), Belgium (14.7%), and Malta (15.1%), as reported by Eurostat.

Additionally, Bulgarian Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Director for Bulgaria Manuela Nesl have signed an agreement to enhance technical support for the investment in national renewable energy storage infrastructure under the RESTORE initiative, financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy.

Minister Malinov emphasized that developing national energy storage infrastructure enhances the security and sustainability of the energy system.

So far, Bulgaria has received over 150 proposals amounting to nearly 2.5 million euros for the RESTORE initiative. The Ministry of Energy indicated that the grant funding available exceeds half a billion euros as of early December.

At the end of November, the European Commission approved 590 million euros in state aid for energy storage investments in Bulgaria, aiming to incorporate at least three gigawatt-hours of new energy storage capacity into the Bulgarian energy system. This initiative is expected to facilitate a greater share of renewable sources in the energy mix, with the aid being grant-based and applicable to all storage technologies, as clarified by the EC. (December 19, 2024)