Balgarianovinite.com Without significant investments in the energy grid, storage, and energy management, solar power could turn from a solution into a problem, said Dr. Eng. Dimitar Beleliev, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Association of Electrical Engineering and Electronics (BASEL), Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Energy Repair Base, and founder of AmonRa Energy. He commented on the sector’s challenges in an interview for BTA on Sunday.
Beleliev noted that Bulgaria is already a leader in the growth of solar capacity and in interest in renewable energy sources (RES), but from now on the real challenges begin. “The main problem is that huge solar plants are being built on a relatively small and unprepared electricity grid. This leads to limitations, imbalances, and real technical risks for the system. The question is no longer how many megawatts we will install, but how we will integrate them. The State’s role is crucial here, and I hope this is understood and addressed in time. At the moment, the state is a passive observer,” he said.
According to Beleliev, Bulgaria’s future leadership in RES should focus on the quality of integration, not just the quantity of capacity.
He added that the biggest mistake in the RES sector is the belief that bigger plants are always better. “Scaling up individual units is harmful to the grid and increases system risks. A truly good system relies on distributed generation, which is more flexible, more resilient, and closer to the real needs of the economy,” he said.
Asked about the best energy solution for Bulgaria, solar, batteries, or a mix of sources, Beleliev said the answer is solar systems combined with appropriately sized batteries located near consumers. “This is the most important factor. When energy is produced and stored close to consumption, significant costs for transmission and balancing are eliminated, grid load is reduced, and system resilience increases. Centralized solutions have their place, but the future lies in a decentralized model that turns consumers into active participants in the energy system, rather than passive payers of network costs,” he explained.
Regarding the reliance on emergency rather than planned maintenance in Bulgaria, Beleliev noted that historically, the country has lacked a culture of prevention. “Since the era of a centrally planned economy, focus was mainly on repair after failure rather than prevention. In modern energy systems, prevention is a key factor for stable and efficient production. Planned maintenance, diagnostics, and timely modernization are significantly cheaper and more reliable than emergency repairs. This is not only a matter of investment but also a management philosophy,” he said.
Beleliev also emphasized distortions in the energy sector labour market. He argued that the State artificially inflates employment, often without regard to efficiency, which leads to low motivation and draws personnel away from the private sector. “At the same time, loss-making enterprises are maintained, blocking resources and human potential. Businesses offer clear approaches, real labor market rules, incentives for skills and productivity, and an end to subsidizing inefficient structures. Only a competitive environment can retain and develop personnel. Examples of state enterprises with staff exceeding those of comparable private companies are more than enough,” he said.
He called for liberalization of the energy sector as soon as possible. “Only a free market can solve many of the chronic problems in Bulgarian energy, inefficiency, cross-subsidies, and lack of transparency. Delays only deepen imbalances. Targeted support mechanisms can be found for consumers who need it, without blocking the market. Currently, over one-third of the market does not function freely,” Beleliev warned.
He added that Bulgaria’s electricity industry is traditionally a strong exporter, while the domestic market is dominated by imports. “Price competition with companies from China, Turkey, and other countries is practically impossible due to the use of non-market subsidy mechanisms. The solution is to restore the logic that European funds support European producers. The European Commission has allowed member states, in strategic sectors, to limit participation in tenders to European producers, CEFTA countries, or states with free trade agreements with the EU. This is already established practice in several European countries,” he said, stressing that Bulgaria should adopt it as soon as possible.
Asked about the potential for rooftop installations in Bulgaria, Beleliev said the potential is huge. “In Sofia alone, there is capacity for around 500 MW of rooftop systems. These capacities can be integrated quickly without additional grid load and without conflict with agriculture or infrastructure. Rooftop systems are the most logical path for sustainable RES development in Bulgaria. Efforts must be focused in this direction,” he said.
Beleliev noted that Bulgaria’s eurozone membership opens new opportunities, especially in terms of trust, predictability, and access to capital. “For the energy and electrical engineering sector, this means easier financing for long-term investments, lower currency risk, and better integration with European markets,” he said.
He added that the eurozone is not only a financial instrument but also a sign of stability, important for investors, partners, and industry as a whole. “In this sense, it is also good promotion for Bulgaria, placing the country in a higher trust category. The question is whether we will use this opportunity purposefully, for real economic development and infrastructure modernization, not just formally,” he concluded. Without Investments in Energy Grid, Solar Power Could Become a Problem, Says BASEL Chair 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-08 11:37:06 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
