Renewable Energy Strategy

The main objective of this WorldBank project is to support the Bulgarian State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) in developing the key components of a coherent and effective regulatory regime for the proactive promotion of Renewable Energy Sources consistent with the relevant EU legislation/targets and to strengthen SEWRC’s capacity to perform its regulatory tasks effectively.

Specifically, the key tasks focus on:

• Review of existing and upcoming EU and domestic legislation, identifying the legal situation regarding RES and necessary secondary legislation in order to meet national targets;
• Development of RES financial support schemes to ensure compliance with the national targets, assessing their source and amounts and the benefits of and drawbacks of the various options in price- or quantity-based support schemes under Bulgarian conditions; 
• Development of accurate, reliable and fraud-resistant systems for the obtaining of status of eligible RES producer through the issuance of guarantees of origin in accordance with the EU Renewable Directive; and
• Improved tariff setting for the supported share of RES-based heat and electricity generation to provide sound and predictable price signals to prospective RES investors in line with the national RES targets;
• Training of SEWRC staff in best practice RES tariff regulation and support systems;
• Improving SEWRC’s internal organizational design in the area of RES regulation, including the establishment of a regulatory database for RES (e.g., for issuing and monitoring guarantees of origin and green certificates); and
• Development of a communications and public awareness strategy for tasks within SEWRC’s authority, targeting key stakeholders and the general public.