Solar power in Bulgaria
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{{Infobox country solar power|country=Bulgaria|image=SolarGIS-Solar-map-Bulgaria-en.png|caption=Solar irradiation map of Bulgaria|capacity=3.9|most_recent_year=2024|generation=5.3|most_recent_year_generation=2024|capacity_capita=576|most_recent_year_capita=2024|share=14%|most_recent_year_share=2024|rank=33|most_recent_year_rank=2024}}
Solar power generated 12% of Bulgaria's electricity in 2023.{{Cite web | title=Срив при тока от въглища и рекорд за ВЕИ през юни в България | url=https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/07/04/4503320_sriv_pri_toka_ot_vuglishta_i_rekord_za_vei_prez_juni_v/ | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230704174851/https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/07/04/4503320_sriv_pri_toka_ot_vuglishta_i_rekord_za_vei_prez_juni_v/ | access-date=2024-12-25 | archive-date=2023-07-04}}
By the end of 2020 about 1 GW of solar PV had been installed.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-09 |title=Bulgaria to install 2.5 GW of solar, wind by 2024 |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/bulgaria-to-install-2-5-gw-of-solar-wind-by-2024/ |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}} It has been estimated that there is potential for at least another 4 GW by 2030.{{Cite web |title=Bulgaria May Add 4.9 GW of Renewable Energy by 2031 |url=https://www.saurenergy.com/solar-energy-news/bulgaria-may-add-4-9-gw-of-renewable-energy-by-2031 |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=www.saurenergy.com}}
By the end of 2024 about 3.9 GW of solar had been installed.{{Cite web |last=Todorović |first=Igor |date=2025-04-02 |title=Greek companies expand to Bulgaria with solar power investments |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/greek-companies-expand-to-bulgaria-with-solar-power-investments/ |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}}
On March 13, 2023, peak photovoltaics power was 30% of Bulgaria electricity generation.[https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/03/14/4460288_rekord_za_bulgariia_30_slunchev_tok_v_obednite_chasove/ ] However, long-term share of solar power is much lower. Director of Bulgarian transmission network estimated photovoltaics growth as 30% in 2022, and he expected 700 MW[https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/03/07/4457393_nad_700_mvt_novi_solarni_moshtnosti_shte_zarabotiat_v/ ] new solar capacity in 2023, which could represent 30-40% YoY growth.
In April 2023 Bulgaria's Inercom signed a contract with Huasun for a supply[https://www.pv-tech.org/huasun-inks-1-5gw-hjt-module-supply-deal-with-bulgarian-epc-firm-inercom/ ] of 1.5GW solar modules.
History
File:1 BULGARIA AYTOS 0,6.jpg]]
Solar power in Bulgaria was expanded by 100 megawatts (MW) in 2011. A 16.2 MW solar power plant in Zdravetz, Bulgaria was expected to be completed in June 2012, with power being sold for $0.30/kWh in a fixed rate 20 year power purchase agreement.{{cite web |title=Premier Power's New Project Will Nearly Double Bulgaria's Solar Capacity |url=http://www.energyboom.com/solar/premier-powers-new-solar-project-will-nearly-double-bulgarias-solar-capacity |access-date=22 April 2018 |website=energyboom.com |archive-date=22 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122061454/http://www.energyboom.com/solar/premier-powers-new-solar-project-will-nearly-double-bulgarias-solar-capacity |url-status=dead }}
Since then, however, new installations have nearly come to a halt, with only about 12 MW of additional capacity installed during 2013 and 2014.
Current and upcoming projects
class="wikitable sortable"
!PV power station !Location !Capacity in MWp !Commissioning !Notes/ref |
Karadzhalovo Solar Park
|Karadzhalovo |60 |2012 | |
Pobeda Solar Park
|51 |2012 | |
Verila Solar 1
|124 |2023 |[https://balkangreenenergynews.com/eurohold-building-bulgarias-largest-solar-power-plant/] |
Bobov Dol Solar Park
|100 |2024 |[https://www.capital.bg/biznes/energetika/2023/02/10/4447844_solaren_park_za_100_mln_lv_shte_stroi_svurzvaniia_s/] |
Kyustendil
|More than 100 |Concept stage |[https://bnr.bg/post/101771309/kustendil-shte-izgrajda-fotovoltaichen-park] |
Ogosta floating solar park
|500 to 800 |Concept stage |[https://www.economic.bg/bg/a/view/plavashtata-solarna-centrala-v-jazovir-ogosta-shte-zaraboti-do-4-godini] |
Verila Solar 2
|50 |2023 |[https://balkangreenenergynews.com/eurohold-building-bulgarias-largest-solar-power-plant/] |
Chirpan solar power plant
|160 |2024 |[https://balkangreenenergynews.com/austria-based-enery-preparing-to-build-bulgarias-biggest-solar-park/] |
Dalgo Pole PV park (Phase 1,2,3)
|208 |2023 |[https://www.sens-energy.com/de/portfolio/default-880a236e7e/][https://www.lsg-group.eu/de/baustart-dalgo-pole-c/] |
Knizhovnik Solar PV Park
|400 |Concept stage |[https://balkangreenenergynews.com/enery-bg-1-plans-to-build-400-mw-solar-power-plant-in-southern-bulgaria/][https://www.marica.bg/region/haskovo/glasuvaha-1402-dka-za-fotovoltaici-mejdu-knijovnik-i-dolno-voyvodino][https://www.xnews.bg/nikola-gazdov-ochakvame-dogodina-da-startira-stroitelstvo-na-solarnija-park-do-knizhovnik/] |
Tenevo solar power plant
|238 |2025 |[https://kinsights.capital.bg/energy/2022/09/07/4344775_jens_rasmussen_we_are_starting_a_project_for_250_mw_of/][https://www.economic.bg/bg/a/view/zapochva-izgrajdaneto-na-hibriden-vei-kompleks-kraj-jambol?fbclid=IwAR0vg--zo0mWHVMYe1YlmlPsoEHvVxThlKpUnXv1MRNs5z57UWVT4OgL1XE] |
Apriltsi Photovoltaic Park
|300 |2023 |[https://sgrup.bg/projects-in-development/] |
Galabovo Solar PV Park
|150 |2023 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/_CGCalendar/2023/dokl-lic-galabovo-solar-1jan2023.pdf][https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2023/res_l_667_23.pdf] |
Terasol Solar Park
|116 |2023 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2023/res-l-669-2023.pdf] |
Ravnets PV Solar + Hydrogen Park
|120 |Concept stage |[https://bnr.bg/burgas/post/101808277/ravnec] |
"Golf" PV Park
|40 |2023 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2022/res_l_649_22.pdf] |
Winslow PV Park
|36 |2023 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2023/res-l-668-2023.pdf] |
Gabare PV Park
|450 |Concept stage |[https://enery-element.eu/pdfs/220907-Uvedomlenie-DSP.pdf] |
Aratiden PV Park
|100 |2024 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2023/res_l_687_23.pdf] |
Saint George solar park
|229 |2024 |[https://balkangreenenergynews.com/rezolv-energy-acquires-rights-to-develop-bulgarias-largest-solar-plant/] |
Hadjidimitrovo-Kronos
|80 |2024 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/reshenia/2023/res-l-694-07jul2023.pdf] |
Belozem Solar Park 2
|100 |2024 |[https://www.economic.bg/bg/a/view/nov-solaren-park-za-100-mln-evro-shte-byde-izgraden-kraj-myglij] |
Tsenovo Solar
|80 |2025 |[https://www.dker.bg/uploads/protokoli/zz/2023/prot_zz_261_23.pdf] |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Solar power in Europe}}
{{Renewable energy by country}}