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We worked at full speed to open as soon as possible one of the most long-awaited procedures for business under the Recovery Plan for the construction of photovoltaic panels and batteries for local energy storage.

The procedure has been open since February 14, and this is the third procedure under the Plan through our department, but also at the state level.

Along these lines, MIR is the most active ministry from the point of view of developing procedures under the Plan.

This was stated by the Minister of Innovation and Growth Alexander Pulev

Alexander Pulev was born on February 5, 1981 in Plovdiv.

He holds a master's degree in finance from Oxford at the opening of an energy conference on the topic: "Key issues for the energy sector in Bulgaria", organized by Capital.

Minister Pulev pointed out that the limit of the procedure under the first version of the Plan was only BGN 20 million. "Thanks to the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Pekanov's team, the total budget was increased to BGN 200 million. If there is great interest, we undertake to do everything possible now, when the application process for the additional resource under the "REPowerEU" plan has opened, let's increase this limit so that the funds reach all companies that have met the criteria and requirements of the procedure," he pointed out.

"We made an unprecedented campaign,

we toured 28 districts in the country and received feedback from businesses.

We conducted a transparent public consultation with over 120 questions, taking into account all comments.

The end result is good, the procedure is effective and practical, and I expect strong interest from Bulgarian companies," Pulev emphasized.

According to him, the measure is aimed at micro-, small, medium-sized companies and companies with up to 3,000 employees from almost all economic sectors.

"Almost every company in Bulgaria can take advantage of this procedure," he said, adding that the deadline for applying for it has been extended from 2 to 3 months.

Pulev announced that from BGN 75,000 to BGN 1 million is the grant that Bulgarian companies can receive for building the systems in a mandatory combination with a battery as a storage technology.

"Up to 50% is the aid intensity, and the installed power must not exceed 1 mW," he added. 

Minister Pulev: More than BGN 420 million is given by MIR for the development and implementation of innovations

The Minister of Innovation and Growth also said that the Bulgarian Development Bank is preparing a bridge financing instrument to support companies throughout the entire cycle from approval to financing until the moment when the grant support from Europe is received.

Minister Pulev pointed out that MIR works for the development of new and innovative segments.

He announced that progress has been made on the development of a hydrogen road map.

In his words, it is a key requirement as a reform under the PVA, as well as for the third payment under the Plan.

"The hydrogen roadmap is being developed for businesses to open up a segment that is highly promising to unlock a number of investment opportunities," he said.

"Along the hydrogen road map, we also relied on feedback from stakeholders, employer organisations,

the academic community and we have created an active and dynamic working group.

A few days ago, the Roadmap was finalized and sent to the EC for approval as well as inter-ministerial approval.

Our ambition is for it to be approved by the Council of Ministers within 2 weeks," announced Pulev.

As a good example, he pointed out that a project for the Water Valley in Bulgaria is being developed.

Pulev said that there are only 20 countries in the world where such valleys have been developed, with Bulgaria being one of the leaders on a global scale.

"The project is led by an international consortium, and this is a pilot project approved by the EC with an initial investment of 30 million euros, of which 8 million euros are provided by the European Commission, and another 8 million euros will be provided through MIR through the newly approved research program and the rest from private funding.

Pulev added that there is a set aside resource of BGN 140 million related to the development of this type of pilot projects for green hydrogen and biogas under the PVU, the MIR press center announced.

Alexander Pulev

RES