Electricity from Wind Turbines: Why Do Wind Capacities Make Up Less Than 10% of Bulgaria’s Energy Mix?

The rainy days in October have made Bulgaria a net importer of electricity. Solar panels produced only a small amount of power, and wind energy was insufficient. Meanwhile, across the European Union, mid-year averaged data shows that, for the first time in history, solar panels have become the leading source of electricity. Wind energy is the second largest contributor. So why, in Bulgaria, are wind turbines hitting a wall?

Is cheap renewable electricity a utopia when the sun isn’t shining? Eurostat data shows that solar panels are the leading technology in green electricity, accounting for nearly 37% of all capacity. Wind turbines contribute 29.5%, and hydropower plants 26%. The leader in the European Union is Denmark with nearly 60% of electricity from wind, while in Bulgaria wind accounts for less than 10% of the energy mix. The country’s largest wind farm produces enough electricity annually to power 94,000 households.

Radomir Draganov, Head of Operations and Maintenance at a wind farm, explains:
“When wind farms operate at night, they feed electricity into our energy system while solar contributes during the day. If we also integrate batteries, which are entering the market, this will create a balance that reduces peak electricity prices – a trend observed last year and continuing this year – which will be beneficial for everyone.”

Earlier sunsets and lower temperatures are now opening the door for wind energy in Europe. Greece has five times more wind capacity than Bulgaria, Romania three times more. The European Commission has set a goal that by 2050, half of electricity should come from wind. Bulgaria took its first step 20 years ago, but for over a decade, no new wind energy projects have been built in the country.

Nikola Gazdov, Chairman of the Association for Production, Storage and Trade in Electricity:
“Projects have been developed for years, typically taking five to eight years from inception to construction readiness. Many projects exist in Northeastern Bulgaria due to its excellent wind potential, as well as tens of kilometres from Sofia. Yet due to misinformation or outdated procedures, there have been no new investments for over ten years – an anti-record for the entire EU.”

Back in autumn 2004, scientists conducted the first monitoring of migratory birds to assess potential impacts from wind turbines near Kavarna.

Prof. Dr. Pavel Zehtindzhiev, Ornithologist and Ecologist, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences:
“We can categorically dismiss any significant barrier effect. The more serious issue, in my view, is the neglect of existing knowledge. In Bulgarian society, there is suspicion that the truth is being hidden. It is not. The truth exists in numerous published and accessible reports. Only a few collisions were recorded at the start of the park’s construction and operation – individual birds over more than 15 years. There is no systemic mass mortality.”

Now, radar systems in the integrated bird protection network are monitored from the control room. However, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, scientists have noticed signal disturbances.

Nikolay Yordanov, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences:
“We mainly see large flocks approaching the parks. When that happens, we alert the local operators, who then stop the turbines. Currently, we have eight common buzzards fitted with GPS transmitters. The biggest problem we face is that we often do not receive their data, or the data shows incorrect locations. All birds are in the Kavarna area, yet we often see points in Ukraine.”

Such signal disruptions and satellite jamming also affect aviation and were linked to the incident with Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft in Bulgaria.