Bulgaria Consumers Don't Support Renewable Energy Sources - Poll Sofia_News_Agency - 2010/1/6
Bulgaria’s households pay the lowest electricity bills in the EU, a report of the Center for the Study of Democracy reveals.
Price corrections to cover new investments in Bulgaria’s electric power production and supply are unavoidable while the country has agreed with the European Union to reach, by 2020, 16% production of all consumed energy from renewable sources, which will lead to additional price increase.
Meanwhile only 13% of all Bulgarian households are wiling to pay more for renewable energy and a staggering 83% of them can only afford a 10% increase in their electric bill.
Households with lower income strongly favor cheaper electric energy even if the production pollutes the environment.
63% of all Bulgarians use burning wood for heating while wood continues to be the cheapest energy source.
The Center’s experts say the results show that the development of energy production from renewable sources is not supported by the Bulgarian consumers and there is a need of economic stimuli and campaigns as well as a careful balance on the part of the cabinet between new investments and price increase for the disadvantaged Bulgarians.