Sofia with a plan for growth of renewable energy - by 160 thousand MWh will decrease energy consumption in 2030
Energy consumption in Sofia Municipality will be reduced by 160,000 MWh by 2030, and it will remain at levels of 5.5 million MWh per year. Currently, the annual consumption is 5.66 million MWh. Each district of the capital will have its own energy passport, and rapid development of renewable energy sources is expected. The share of central heating will be reduced to 29 percent. This is clear from an energy study prepared by Sofiaplan in cooperation with the Sofia Energy Agency - Sofena. The study presents a similar percentage of existing energy infrastructure, as well as forecasts for 20 years of development. The study was conducted in connection with the monitoring of implementation and preparation for the update of the General Development Plan, as well as with the development of a Program for Sofia.
The analysis offers trivial scenarios for the development of energy consumption by 2050, based on demographic forecasts. The data from the realistic scenario are visualized in an interactive map with the energy passports of the districts and settlements in Sofia Municipality. Each document shows the current state and forecasts for energy consumption by type of sources, by quantity and by share of the measures for saving according to the specification of the corresponding district and expectations about its development.
Energy consumption in Bulgaria has been steadily increasing over the last two decades with over 20 percent. The increase is due to the increase in the standard of living, the payment of new rates and the cooling of the household during the summer season. After 2010, however, the growth slowed up due to the introduction of measures for energy efficiency in the city, the replacement of appliances with more energy efficient ones, etc.
The forecast for total energy consumption in Sofia is that despite the increase in the number of consumers, in 2030 it will decrease to 5.5 million MWh / year, and in 2050 to 5.4 million MWh / year. at the current level of consumption of 5.66 million MWh / year.
The use of solid and liquid fossil fuels in Sofia Municipality is expected to decrease drastically by 2030. It is planned to gradually transform the thermal power plants with the introduction of new environmental technologies and increase the production of electricity from them. By 2050, there is a decline in the use of district heating for heating and hot water, as well as an increase in the consumption of heat. In this period, the production of energy by BEI should reach 1,392,748 MBth per year, which is about ⅕ of the total energy consumption in Sofia Municipality. This value could reach a third in the implementation of an optimistic scenario.
The distribution of energy sources in the consumption will change: the share of thermal energy from district heating companies will fall to 29%, the energy for heating and BGB - 1%, natural gas - 12%, BEI - 26%, biomass - 9%, electricity for heating - 17%, electricity for heating and cooling. - 0 percent.
The study aims to create a model for sustainable planning and development of energy infrastructure in Sofia Municipality. The study will support policies for wider penetration of modern technologies in the field of energy and the absorption of local resources from renewable energy sources. The aim is to improve the balance in the use of traditional and renewable energy sources, explain the experts who prepared the analysis.