site.btaZa Zemiata Association Presents Two Reports Analyzing Implementation of Projects under NRRP

The conclusions of two reports examining the experience and results of the implementation of projects under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) for the renovation of multi-family residential buildings and the use of energy from renewable energy sources (RES) by households were presented on Thursday by the environmental association Za Zemiata [For the Earth]. This took place during a webinar for journalists organized via Zoom, entitled "How does the money from the Recovery Plan reach the people?"

The results of the studies were presented by their author, Petko Kovachev, an energy policy expert from the Green Policy Institute. He was a guest speaker at the event.

Kovachev highlighted three main weaknesses in the implementation of the energy efficiency programme through the renovation of multi-family residential buildings. He pointed to the design of 100% grant funding, the "failure" of the scheme and the 20% co-participation of the floor ownership, and finally, the cumbersome and centralized process of program management. 

Based on the above findings, the author of the document drew four main conclusions. Firstly, there has been a failure to achieve the goal of citizen participation in the programme through financial co-participation, with 3,068 applicants in the first stage and 307 in the second stage, according to the information in the report. Petko Kovachev also claimed that "the process of accumulating experience has been blocked, both among citizens and on the part of funding institutions." He pointed out that “political populism prevails in an area where the maximum mobilization of all possible participants is needed to achieve national energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.” 

He emphasized the need to refine the “one-stop shop” institution.

In “Support for renewable energy for households,” Petko Kovachev highlighted four identified weaknesses. These are the complex documentation, which, in his words, discourages potential applicants; the design of the scheme for participants with financial capabilities; the lack of technical support for citizens; and finally, the lack of capacity on the part of the managing institution, represented by the Ministry of Energy. 

The main conclusion in the report on this procedure is that “from the very beginning, this project has been at risk,” and according to the author of the document, this is evidenced by the changes in the design, which “seem to be still ongoing in the financing section.” According to Kovachev, increasing the amount of money allocated to the Support is not a sufficient condition for the success of the procedure, where “proper preparation and implementation” carry greater weight. He also emphasises that RES projects should not exclude the energy poor.

Petko Kovachev described the NRRP as a pilot project for which the EC will provide funding from now on, linking it to the implementation of reforms by EU Member States. The analysis of the accumulated experience is necessary due to the likelihood that the model applied in the national plans for linking funding to reforms will become the leading one.