site.btaBulgaria and Italy Sign Memorandum to Boost Cooperation in Renewables, Green Innovation

Energy ministers Vladimir Malinov of Bulgaria and Gilberto Fratin of Italy signed a memorandum of cooperation during Malinov's working visit in Italy, the Energy Ministry's press service said here on Friday.

"Bulgaria and Italy will continue to deepen their cooperation in the energy sector as part of the process to achieve the goals of a low-carbon European economy," Malinov said during the bilateral meeting. The two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding.

Bulgaria and Italy will back the efforts of their energy institutions and companies to foster collaboration in the nuclear, renewable energy, and hydrogen sectors.

The memorandum details the establishment of a joint working group to identify and develop specific forms of collaboration. This includes promoting the use and transfer of knowledge and expertise related to the efficient use of renewable energy sources, renewable hydrogen, and new energy technologies. The goal is to improve energy efficiency and energy storage, implement smart grids, and support research and innovation.

Following their discussions at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku, Malinov and Fratin agreed that cooperation between Bulgaria and Italy will greatly improve the accelerated integration of natural gas and electricity markets in Europe.

Italy supports Bulgaria's initiative on energy connectivity dialogues, aimed at strengthening regional partnerships within the European Political Community for a more effective energy transition, as presented at COP29 in Baku earlier in November.

During his visit to Italy, Malinov met with the leaders of ENEL, one of Europe's largest energy companies, to discuss the growth of the renewable energy sector, advancements in energy efficiency, and green technologies. Malinov said that improving electrical connectivity in Europe will enable our consumers to access energy at competitive prices.