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Solid Biomass in Bulgaria

General

 

According to the Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources the target for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in the year 2020 for Bulgaria is 16% (in the year 2005 the share was 9.4%).

In terms of promoting and benefit from renewable energy resources Bulgaria started from a much lower level of economic development as compared to most of the other Member States of the European Union. The largest industrial project for the utilization of wood biomass implemented in recent years was the installation of a 11 MWe boiler for the combustion of tree bark at “Svilocel” EAD near Svishtov.


Renewable electricity, heating and transport fuels: Biomass

Biomass is the most widely used energy resource in Bulgaria – predominantly in the form of firewood combined with coal. The consumption of firewood has increased significantly in recent years as a result of the increased prices of other fuels and electricity. Processed wood fuels — wood chips, pellets and briquettes — are not popular due to their higher prices and the underdeveloped supply system. In spite of the assessments made by international experts of the huge potential of biomass for electricity generation in Bulgaria, Bulgarian experts are of the opinion that biomass may be used for electricity generation only in CHP plants. Its use in condense-type power plants is considered to be inexpedient from an environmental, economic and technical point of view.

 

Bulgaria submitted a forecast document concerning the production of renewable energy in accordance with which the technical potential for production of energy from renewable sources is around 4 500 ktoe. The distribution between the various types of sources is uneven with biomass (~36%) having the highest share. The National Long-term Programme for the Promotion of the Use of Biomass 2008-2020 was elaborated.

 

Biomass is a significant component of the heating energy mix in Bulgaria. As a result of price increases, a large proportion of the population relies on biomass (wood, in particular) for heating and, to a lesser extent, hot water purposes. The most widely used appliances are stoves and fireplaces with very high losses. Heating appliances and water heaters are most commonly selected on the basis of their purchase price and this often results in neglecting efficiency considerations. In order to improve energy consumption, the Bulgarian legislation relating to the use of renewable energy for heating and cooling purposes will be revised and an obligation to use energy efficient technologies in new buildings will be laid down.

 

The Republic of Bulgaria will stimulate the market for heating and cooling energy through appropriate legislative measures. Mandatory minimum levels will be established, specifying that at least 15 % of the total amount of heating and cooling required by the building should be produced from renewable sources through the implementation of: central heating systems using biomass; individual biomass installations with a conversion efficiency of at least 85 % for residential and commercial buildings and at least 70 % for industrial buildings.

 

Feed-in tariff rates are set by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission. The Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels Act lays down feed-in tariffs for electricity produced from renewable energy sources, except for energy produced by hydropower plants of over 10 MW installed capacity and biomass-fired power plants of over 5 MW installed capacity. Feed-in tariff rates [in BGN/MWh] amount to 80 per cent of the average selling price of the Public Supplier or Public Retailers in the previous calendar year plus a surcharge determined by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (‘SEWRC’) in accordance with criteria relating to the technology and type of primary energy source. The surcharge may not be less than 95 per cent or higher than 105 per cent of its amount in the previous calendar year. Each year, the regulator draws up a document setting the feed-in tariffs according to technology and some technical parameters. Price of electricity produced from power plants for 2010 in BGN/MWh:

 

 

BGN/EUR – 1 Bulgarian lev / Euro = 0.511321997

 

This gives the price of 86-111 EUR/MWh guaranteed for 15 years.

 

In respect of electricity produced from biomass, the maximum is 5 MW of installed capacity. This gives the price of 85-101 EUR/MWh guaranteed for 12 years.

 

The EBRD Residential Energy Efficiency Credit Line provides assistance with the support of the KIDS Fund (Kozloduy International Decommissioning Support Fund) to households and building owner associations to reduce heating costs by implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. Eligible renewable energy measures relate to the installation of high-efficiency biomass stoves and boilers. Support includes loans, grants and technical assistance. The amount of the grant is up to 20 % or 30 % of the amount of the loan, but not more than EUR 2 000.

 

Future programme changes expected

 

In the assessments of the Association of District Heating Companies in Bulgaria, by 2020, new installations utilising energy from biomass will be put into operation with a total heating capacity of 99.2 MW. The total heating energy generated by these installations is estimated at 416.6 GWh/year. Electricity production from biomass is expected to reach 871 GWh in 2020, with the total installed capacities of 93 MWe.

 

Sources

 

 

 

National Renewable Energy Action Plan for Bulgaria,  30 June 2010 URL: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/national_renewable_energy_action_plan_bulgaria_en.pdf

Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform_en.htm

http://www.resbulgaria.com/2010/07/prices-for-electricity-from-renewable-energy-sources-%e2%80%93-bulgaria-2010/

http://ziuaenergiei.ro/pdf/Erste_Bank_Ladislav_Tolmaci.pdf


http://bgwea.org.server14.host.bg/English/Home_EN.html

 

http://www.mee.government.bg/energy

 

Institute for Renewable Energy, Poland.

 

 

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