By the end of June, Bulgaria is slated to become a pioneer in Europe, becoming one of the first countries to cut its energy dependency from Russia. The IGB Project is a gas pipeline that will run 113 miles from Komotini, Greece, to Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. With Europe looking to pursue alternative energy options after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the pipeline is a historic step that will help diversify the continent’s energy imports. And, if successful, it can provide a beacon of hope for the rest of the European continent to do the same.
“June will be the final date for the completion of this project, which is very important for us,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said Monday.
The project started in 2011, but its conclusion comes at the most convenient of times. The European Commission announced plans to reduce its dependency on Russian gas by two-thirds this year — a feat that this new pipeline can help achieve. It is a major development for Bulgaria, which will be at the forefront of Europe’s pivot from Russian energy imports.
Russia is an energy-exporting behemoth that is an existential problem for much of the world. The European Union receives approximately 40% of its natural gas from Russia; Bulgaria is even worse, getting 80%. By beginning this transition away from Russia, Bulgaria is setting an example for the rest of Europe to follow. Furthermore, it’s an emphatic message from Bulgaria’s new leadership about the country’s desire to build stronger geopolitical connections to NATO and the European Union.
The first major step was eliminating ties to Russia. Bulgaria, which has been linked to Putin’s regime to fulfill energy demands for years, announced it would not renew its contract with Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company. Gazprom is the largest natural gas producing company in the world. Bulgaria, a small Eastern European country in the Balkans, showed the rest of the world how to stand up to Putin’s petrostate.
“In this situation, there cannot be talks with Gazprom,” Vasilev said in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio. “There are alternatives.”
These alternatives will guide Bulgaria and the rest of Europe. The new pipeline sustains the current natural gas demands of 3 billion cubic meters per year. However, it also allows for an increase of capacity up to 5 billion cubic meters per year, should the market demand call for it.
As Europe strengthens its commitment to move away from Russia’s gas, the additional 2 billion cubic meters per year will play a substantial role in meeting the continent’s future gas needs.
Additionally, as part of Bulgaria’s ascension to energy prominence, the diversification of supply and the pursuit of renewable energy sources will be necessities as part of Europe’s new plans for energy security. Deputy Prime Minister Asan Vasilev announced Bulgaria will work with other countries to help meet some of the continent’s energy needs in the interim. This included increasing gas imports from Azerbaijan and increasing imports of liquefied natural gas from Greece and Turkey.
Bulgaria’s renewable energy pursuits will also help Europe’s transition away from Russia’s grip on its energy. It was one of the countries that called for “speeding up the decarbonization of the European industry through the European Green New Deal” and the “financing of green projects by focusing on green technologies and solutions.” And although Bulgaria continues to have a heavy reliance on coal for energy needs, Bulgaria’s enormous renewable energy potential should prove vital in Europe’s pursuit of energy independence from Russia (as Europe attempts to shift from fossil fuels).
Consider recent reports that Sofia can potentially add 4,650 megawatts of solar capacity and 2,350 MW of onshore wind capacity as early as 2030. Also, it can build 7 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity and 1,750 MW of energy storage systems within the same time frame. These will be significant contributions to help the EU reach its stated renewable goals.
“Bulgaria is not anymore a soft country that has only balancing acts,” Petkov said.
If Bulgaria follows through and upholds its commitments, Petkov will be proven true. Long considered nothing more than a small, corrupt Balkan country, Bulgaria’s prime minister looks to be steering the country on a path to position itself as a leader in toppling Putin’s energy behemoth. By being one of the first countries to move away from dependency on Russian gas, Bulgaria can be among the energy leaders in Europe.
