Bulgaria updates action plan to improve energy efficiency

The Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has put up for public debate a draft of the updated National Energy Efficiency Action Plan for the 2014-2020 period aimed at reducing the amount of energy used by consumers at all levels in the country. The original action plan was submitted to the European Commission in 2014 with an obligation to be updated within a period of three years.

Under the updated action plan power consumption in the country has to be reduced from 18.46 million tons of oil equivalent (without energy efficiency measures) to 16.87 million tons of oil equivalent.

The draft update of the action plan states that the implementation of the national targets should lead to a reduction of the primary energy intensity in that EU member state by 41% in 2020 compared to the year 2005.

Bulgaria finances its program of Energy Efficiency Measures from various sources including the BG04 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program, the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund, the National Energy Efficiency Program for multi-apartment residential buildings and other sources.

The updated Action Plan includes energy efficiency measures for all buildings and facilities used at all levels of government, as well as the purchase of high-quality products, services and buildings for use by both local and national government institutions.

It regulates the promoting of heating and cooling energy efficiency, energy conversion, transmission and distribution and financial mechanisms to stimulate energy efficiency improvement measures.

Under the updated Action Plan, the Bulgarian authorities will set up an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund, and will launch the operational program Innovation and Competitiveness along with a second operational program Regions for Growth.

A National Trust EcoFund will be set up along with a climate investment, a rural development program and a household energy efficiency loans program.

Bulgaria will also have a national long-term investment program to implement energy efficiency in public and private residential and commercial buildings.