News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

There is a visible boom experience in renewable energy in Bulgaria. There is a possibility that the country ends up with an invasion of deceitful investments that might turn out in the long run to do more harm than good.

The government is the one promoting this boom. However, the state has already taken notice of this corruptive invasion and has suspended green energy project for 6 months. This will give sufficient time to better understand where social benefits are greater than the social cost involved in various project already in place.

The Energy and Economy Minister Traicho Traykov personally addressed the issue in the investor forum by saying that “Too many tickets have been sold for this show”. He urged on the need to rectify the sector.

Casting an eye on the growth of renewable project in Bulgaria, in only a few years the capacity has raised from zero to a projected 12, 000 megawatts from project such as solar energy parks, wind farms and small-scale hydropower plants.

According to government experts, the projected capacity is tantamount to the current supplied capacity. The effect of doubling the supply of energy would be too much for the domestic electricity grid. Specialists are nonetheless, realistic and estimate that many of the foreseen projects might not be taking-off due to lack of financing.

The main pillar behind the renewable energy boom is from the European Union-Wide agreement, where Bulgaria has agreed to reach a provision of 16 percent of domestic energy required through renewable sources. This is supposedly to be reached by 2020 and the actual figure for renewable supply is 8 percent.

The country’s government has commanded private utilities and the national electricity company to connect all renewable sources of energy as soon as they are ready to supply electricity. These sources will be paid a preferential price.

The incentive (preferential price) is giving investors a push to grow rapidly. It is being considered as a profitable and lucrative investment according to many luring investors.

There have already been 350 MW of energy capacity connected from wind and agreement to add 1,451 from solar batteries. According to the executive director of national electricity, Georgy Mikov, the grid has reached full capacity with this addition.

According to the National electricity company, 2,000 megawatts would be sufficient to reap the target of 16 percent by 2020. ‘Green energy’ suppliers are envisaging 5,000 to 6,000 megawatts. This is what triggered the moratorium. It will give the government sufficient time to evaluate the necessity of the projects.

The government is especially focusing on alleviating harm to the black Sea Via Pontica Bird migration route. It is actually an area where a wind farm might be erected. Recently, the European Commission has already established a procedure condemning the erection of the wind farm on the Via Pontica Route. A possible solar farm might also affect productive farmland.

The state is seeking to approve projects that are financially supported. This will also give the state a better overview of how the grid should be upgraded to anticipate the increased capacity.

Environmentalists from Bulgaria as well as external conservationists, consider that renewable energy is the key for the future. However, it should not be, at the cost of protected territories and farmland.

Source: Independent