On 30th of November 2022 Sofia Energy Agency SOFENA organized a local seminar on the Legal Issues of Energy Communities under LIGHTNESS project in the city of Sofia.
The seminar was part of a two-day event – the XVI National Conference of the Association of the Bulgarian Energy Agencies held on 29 and 30th of November 2022 at the premises of the hotel Hyatt Regency.
The event took part under Panel 3 “Legal aspects for the uptake of the energy communities in Bulgaria and the good practices in other EC countries” in the morning of 30th of November 2020 (see agenda).
As a whole over 60 people were registered and participated in person and online in the event.
44 participants from different organizations and companies, attended the event, in addition over 25 other persons took part online. There were representatives from governmental centres, from the Association of the municipalities along Danube River, the Institute on green politics, the Consumers association, the Chamber of installers in Bulgaria, Bulgarian Council on youth development , State fund on energy efficiency and renewable agency, Greenpeace Bulgaria, Habitat Bulgaria, local energy agencies , SMEs, Isgrei Ltd energy community, law firms representatives, and others.
After the coffee break Mr Kristian Dimitrov from Greenpeace Bulgaria shared some thoughts on the legal aspects concerning the tasks on the transposition of energy communities. The jurist Mr Pavlin Stoyanov pointed out the main changes that have to be taken in the Bulgarian legislation on energy community development. An interesting discussion took place on these issues conducted by Dr Maria Trifonova, lecturer at the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University. A series of questions on energy communities’ foundation, functioning, net metering and other issues were raised by the participants and the presenters answered to them. The event was officially closed at 13.00 but the participants continued the discussions in informal manner.
The seminar was moderated by Dr Zdravko Georgiev, the Executive Director of SEA SOFENA who presented the panellists. Mr. Georgi Stefanov, climate and energy expert described the engagement of Bulgaria concerning the Energy transition in Europe and the Green Energy Package.
Dr Nadya Nikolova acquainted the audience with the tasks of the LIGHTNESS project and the results of the provided by SEA SOFENA Regulatory Impact Analysis for Citizen Energy Communities and Flexibility Services. An overview was presented of the practices in the project partner countries and the definitions of the energy communities – of CEC and REC were discussed. Mr. Marc-Antoine Andrieux, a trainee from France at SOFENA, presented the experience of France in energy communities. The Bulgarian experience was demonstrated by Dr. Dragomir Tsanev from EnEffect. He presented the Bulgarian experience in energy communities in the municipalities of Sofia, Burgas and Dobrich.
