site.btaBulgarian Energy Sector Companies Have Huge Potential for Growth in Renewables and Innovation, Says BASEL Chair

Bulgarian energy sector companies have huge potential for development and growth, especially in the field of renewables and innovation, Bulgarian Association of Electrical Engineering and Electronics (BASEL) Chair Dimitar Beleliev said in an interview for BTA. In his words, with each passing year, more and more Bulgarian companies are implementing modern technologies and offering solutions that are globally competitive. According to him, Bulgaria can be a leader in the development of renewable energy and energy management technologies.

"Companies in the industry are active in both the domestic and international markets, and their role will continue to grow as global interest in sustainable energy sources increases," Beleliev added. He gave the example of the International Technical Fair in Plovdiv, which took place from 25 to 28 September, as proof for this claim.

There were 25 entries competing for the Innovation Medal at the show in 2024. Of these, 18 were awarded with a gold medal and a diploma for innovative product, Beleliev said. Quite some of the products awarded at the Technical Fair are manufactured in the Balkans and in European countries such as Czechia, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Republic of North Macedonia, Turkiye. Only one of all the awarded companies was not Bulgarian, but from Czechia, all the rest were Bulgarian, Beleliev pointed out.

An increasing share of the awarded Bulgarian companies produce the product itself, they are not only an exhibitor at the International Technical Fair, but also a manufacturer, the BASEL Chair noted.

"The innovations presented at the International Technical Fair reflect the trend towards resource saving, ecology (a modular low-energy house, for example, received a gold medal, as well as an Eco vending spot with its own power supply and a recycling point), safety in emergency situations. Products with seismic protection stood out - for example, the transformer house is an innovation with seismic protection, as well as the Institute of Space Research and Technology's earthquake behavioural response training simulator. Products with mobile capabilities, such as a mobile pallet strapping system and a 24-panel mobile solar system that can be transported wherever power is needed, were also awarded as one-of-a-kind," Dimitar Beleliev added.