A representative of NТEF took part in a round table on “After the National Plan for Recovery and Resilience: Strategic Vision and Practical Dimensions at the Local Level”. The most important news from the event is that the financial sector is making green development a top priority.
The round table was held on October 5, 2023, hosted by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce – Union of Bulgarian Business. The organizers are the Center for Energy Efficiency “EnEfect” and the Municipal Network for Energy Efficiency “EkoEnergia”.
The event was attended by Julian Popov, Minister of Environment and Water; Angelina Boneva, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works; Ivaylo Alexiev, executive director of the Agency for Sustainable Energy Development; Dobri Mitrev, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and others.
Asked about the state of the administrative capacity to implement the reforms related to the clean transition, Minister Julian Popov pointed out: “Each municipality, each ministry has its own capacity. The problem is not so much in the capacity in principle, the problem is in the political will and in the observance of political direction. When we all work together and in the same direction, then this administrative capacity can give very good results especially if we work together with the business and with the support of the business.’
Key to the talks was the session with the participation of the Fund of Funds and the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB), which confirmed the availability of instruments for blended financing of energy efficiency projects, including a grant component and preferential credits for investors. The new guarantee scheme of BDB related to the implementation of the program under NPRR for individual photovoltaic installations was also presented. The two commercial banks that took part in the discussion – UBB and FIB – confirmed their interest in such type of scheme, while presenting numerous specialized products and confirming that green development is the number one priority for the banking sector – both due to the requirements of the taxonomy regulation and due to increased market demand.
During the national round table, representatives of local authorities, branch organizations, financial institutions, and associations in the field of sustainable energy joined the discussion by presenting specific tools and solutions supporting the implementation of public policies.
The participation of NТEF is within the framework of the partnership under the project Bulgarian Forum for Financing Energy Efficiency Projects (BeSMART), financed under the Horizon 2020 program of the EU.
