site.btaSofia Waste Treatment Plant Saves BGN 200,000 on Electricity Thanks to New Solar Installation

Following the installation of a new photovoltaic system for clean energy, the Municipal Enterprise for Waste Treatment (MEWT) in Sofia has saved BGN 200,000 in electricity costs, Sofia Municipality’s press centre announced Monday. In April, May, and June, the solar power system covered an average of 25% of the enterprise’s total energy consumption.

The system consists of 3,356 photovoltaic modules with a capacity of 1,862 kWp/hour and contributes to achieving a zero-carbon footprint, the Municipality added. This initiative is part of Sofia’s broader goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, following the city’s inclusion in the EU's "100 climate-neutral and smart cities of the future" initiative.

The Municipality added that in the early days of Mayor Vassil Terziev’s term in office, following the replacement of the head of the waste treatment plant, the operations and contracts for recyclable waste and RDF (refuse-derived fuel) were restored. Over the past year and a half, MEWT has shown steady improvement in both production and financial performance.

According to the Municipality, revenues from the sale of recyclable materials rose to nearly BGN 1.5 million in 2024, an increase of 195% compared to 2023. In the first half of 2025, over BGN 940,000 was generated for the city's budget, more than five times the amount collected in the same period of 2024. Nearly 51,000 tonnes of RDF was produced and exported during the first six months of 2025, a 54% increase over the same period in 2024. Landfill waste is decreasing. From January to June 2025, just over 28,000 tonnes were landfilled, almost 30% less than the previous year and half the amount in 2023.

The Municipality also announced that a new solar power installation is expected to be launched at the Sofia Zoo in the coming weeks.

The grid-connected photovoltaic installation for MEWT’s own energy use was completed in January. Comprising 3,356 photovoltaic modules with a capacity of 1,862 kWp/hour, the system is expected to reduce MEWT’s electricity costs by around BGN 5,000 per day, or approximately BGN 1.8 million annually. The solar panels are installed on the rooftops of existing buildings and do not affect elements of the National Ecological Network of protected zones, nor do they pose any risk to public health or the cultural heritage of the area.