site.btaBulgaria Can Take EU Lead in Shaping New Energy Vision - Centre for the Study of Democracy

For the first time, Bulgaria can assume a leadership role in the EU in shaping a new vision for energy development, Martin Vladimirov of the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD) said Tuesday. He was speaking at the opening of a round table on accelerated energy transition, policies and innovations for sustainable development by 2040, held at Sofia’s Grand Hotel Millennium and organized by CSD.

“Bulgaria has the potential to produce electricity from diverse sources. The country combines low-cost renewable energy with conventional generation, and there is political will to foster a transatlantic energy and climate partnership between the U.S. and the EU,” Vladimirov said.

According to him, the new energy visions should come from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the region that already anticipated in 2014 that Russia would continue its aggressive actions and attempt to reshape Europe’s security landscape. In this context, he argued, CEE will play a crucial role in protecting the West from the rise of authoritarian powers, with energy and economic security forming the foundation of that defence.

Bulgaria, as a crossroads state, will always have a pivotal role, and together with the region, it is time to lead Europe towards a new vision for energy and climate policy, Vladimirov stressed. Energy will be at the heart of global economic development, while the rise of artificial intelligence and related technologies requires rethinking the role of energy in society, he added.

At the forum, CSD presented its updated long-term vision for Bulgaria’s energy sector. It outlines two scenarios: a baseline scenario, based on existing state policies and targets, and an alternative scenario, which accelerates decarbonization and drives economic transformation in key industries.

The alternative scenario envisages a coal phase-out by 2030 and faster investment in renewables, electrification and energy efficiency. Both scenarios foresee new nuclear capacities, but only after 2040 and under market conditions through long-term power purchase agreements.

CSD noted that long-term reforms are needed to deploy cutting-edge technologies such as small modular reactors, storage capacities, green hydrogen and carbon capture systems. These reforms should include liberalizing the electricity market and introducing diverse financial support mechanisms, alongside measures to reduce energy poverty, invest in grid digitalization, and decentralize consumption, the Center added.