Discovering the potential for decentralization in small RES installations

|Click for full text of the report |

Discussions around the National Recovery and Resilience Plan have been a major part of the heated political debate over the past week. They will continue to be important in the months to come.

Unfortunately, they focus on the issue of the date of submission of the documentation to the European Commission, without touching on the details of the projects planned for funding.

As with other major European initiatives, the country's participation is automatic, without any assessment of the possible benefits and costs. What matters is that the money flows and is spent.

Since the European Green Deal is set to define EU-level policies in the coming decades, including the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, we at EKIP decided to present a slightly different view on the potential of renewable energy technologies .

According to the author of the report, Stoyan Panchev:

" RES technologies can follow the path of Bitcoin's development. Organically, stepping into the possibility of energy independence. Today, each of us can be our own bank, thanks to cryptocurrencies, why not be our own power plant?"

To unlock this potential, here and now in Bulgaria, certain steps are needed. Here are our conclusions from the report, describing the path to removing obstacles to the development of small-scale renewable energy installations:

• Small RES installations have the potential to be a decentralization tool with an effect comparable to the Internet and smart mobile devices.

• The last three decades in the energy sector have been characterized by a drive to break up its monopoly status, the so-called vertically integrated companies, and introduce competition where possible – in production, additional systems and services for managing the electricity system, wholesale and retail trade.

• It is necessary to simplify the procedures for issuing a construction permit and connecting to the electricity grid, so as to optimize their duration without putting at risk the quality and safety of the project implementation.

• We recommend removing the requirement that the site where the power plant is being built be connected as a consumer, i.e. the client must have a signed contract for the supply of electricity.

• It is imperative to improve the pricing process for network services so that companies have sufficient funds for seamless and rapid connection of small RES installations.

• Owners of small RES installations should be able to get an additional incentive by obtaining certificates of origin from the Sustainable Energy Development Agency, which they can then trade.

• It remains important to take decisive steps towards full liberalization of the electricity market and the elimination of the regulated segment.

|Click for full text of the report |

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