NEOptions, the Bulgarian Development Collaborative and SDN spent three years working together to produce what they claim as the largest solar PV project in Bulgaria and one of the largest in the EU: a 45MW solar PV project made up of one 20MW installation and another 25MW solar PV installation in the towns of Samovodene and Zlataritsa, Bulgaria. Construction has started on the solar PV project, with 5MW already completed.
Although Bulgaria’s Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov recently revealed that the country’s renewable energy legislation will begin to complement that of laws in the European Union, NEOptions admitted that the project took much planning and diligence as Bulgaria is fairly new to the solar PV arena.
“Large scale renewable energy development projects – especially in new EU countries where there is no track record and experience in the construction and operation of such facilities is especially challenging, and it takes a great deal of work to put the right partnerships and structures together to ensure the success,” said President of NEOptions, Angelina Galiteva.
NEOptions brought past experience with PV projects as well as the preparation for solicitation materials, project descriptions and preliminary engineering so that the project could gain a practical investor.
Borislav Sarandev lead the Bulgarian Development Collaborative during the three years of preparation for the projects, including the site selection, land acquisition and securing the numerous, but necessary, permits, licenses and interconnection documents needed to get the turnkey project off the ground.
“Professionalism and understanding of local policies, regulations and relationships is what guaranteed this development team's fast track permit approval and rapid start on construction of this solar park,” concluded Galiteva.
