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Wind Power News: Bulgaria
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Protest in Varna against wind facilities in the Black Sea
Representatives of the fishing and tourism industries are protesting in Varna against the draft law on renewable energy in marine areas. Traffic in the area of the Palace of Culture and Sports was disrupted for 3 hours before noon on Monday 18 March. At the same time, a round table on the development of wind farms in the nearby Black Sea is being organised by the Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD). “The so-called CSD continues to lobby for . . . Complete story »
Wind farms in the Black Sea coast region could have a negative impact on bat populations in large parts of Eastern Europe
The Via Pontica, an important migration route for birds in Eastern Europe, runs along the Black Sea coast of Romania and Bulgaria. Bats also use this route. In this region, numerous wind farms have been installed in recent years because of good wind conditions, but there has been little implementation of the legally required measures for the protection of bats. A Romanian research team cooperated with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in Berlin to demonstrate that . . . Complete story »
Better to ask forgiveness than permission: Bulgaria to ban new construction on Cape Kaliakra
Bulgaria’s Environment Minister Neno Dimov said on July 21 that the country has reached a settlement with the European Commission in relation to a conservation lawsuit that Bulgaria lost in the European Court of Justice. In its January 2016 ruling, the court found that Bulgaria failed to protect unique habitats and important species in the Kaliakra special protection area at the Black Sea coast. The settlement, which Dimov presented to mayors of municipalities in the protected area, was described by . . . Complete story »
European Court of Justice finds against Bulgaria in Kaliakra conservation case
The European Court of Justice has ruled against Bulgaria in a case brought by the European Commission against the country over its failure to protect unique habitats and important species in the Kaliakra special protection area at the Black Sea coast, the court announced on January 14 2016. The European Commission lodged the court action in October 2013, saying that large numbers of wind turbines and other developments have been authorised without adequate assessments of their environmental effects in the Kaliakra . . . Complete story »
Bulgaria scraps incentives for new renewable energy installations
Feb 26 (Reuters) – Bulgaria’s parliament scrapped preferential prices for new renewable energy installations on Thursday as the country is struggling to cut deficits in the energy sector and keep a lid on consumers’ utility bills. Wind power farms and photovoltaic parks mushroomed in 2011, after Bulgaria introduced generous subsidies for renewable energy, guaranteed for 20 years and committed to buy all the energy produced by them. But the incentives have weighed on the power costs in the European Union’s . . . Complete story »
Bulgaria imposes 20 pct fee on solar and wind power
Bulgaria’s parliament voted on Thursday to impose a 20 percent charge on income from wind and solar power installations next year as the Socialist-led government struggles to keep down electricity bills and reduce deficits related to clean energy. The government, faced with daily protests over corruption, has pledged to keep power costs low to avoid mass public unrest in a country where energy bills take a big chunk of people’s monthly income, especially during the winter. Protests over high electricity . . . Complete story »
European Commission takes Bulgaria to court for failing to protect endangered species at Kaliakra wind farms
The European Commission (EC) said on October 17 2013 that it is taking Bulgaria to the EU Court of Justice over the country’s “failure to protect unique habitats and important species”. The case concerns the Kaliakra region, a migratory route and resting place for highly endangered species, where large numbers of wind turbines and other developments have been authorised without adequate assessments of their environmental effects, the EC said. “Although Bulgaria is committed to increasing the protection of rare species and . . . Complete story »
European Commission sues Bulgaria over nature protection laws
The European Commission has referred Bulgaria to the EU court over the country’s authorization of wind turbines in protected areas of the Kaliakra peninsula. „The Commission has moved its case against Bulgaria to trial phase in EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg,“ announced Iskra Mihaylova, Bulgaria’s Minister of Environment and Water. If Bulgaria is convicted, the amount of the penalty is to be determined by the Court, and the commission could seek the removal of the offending wind turbines, explained . . . Complete story »
Bulgaria’s financial intelligence: Mafia funds laundered through renewable energy companies
Renewable energy companies are a front for money laundering, according to a report of the Financial Intelligence Directorate of Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security (DANS) for 2012. The report, as cited by Sega daily, draws attention to the return of pyramid/Ponzi schemes, adding that they have become more complicated and refined compared to the fraud schemes to which many Bulgarians fell victim in the 90s. According to DANS, renewable energy plants are used in money laundering schemes for a . . . Complete story »
Bulgaria pulls plug on wind power
The Bulgarian government has made good on threats to curtail power production from wind and solar plants. The decision follows a warning in March by interim energy minister Asen Vasilev that around 40% of wind and solar plants could potentially be curtailed. Vasilev claimed their failure to provide real-time data on production was threatening the stability of the system and made them non-compliant with the law. According to the Bulgarian Wind Energy Association (BGWEA), the country’s electricity system operator (ESO) . . . Complete story »
