Toshiba to Build Solar Smart Grid Project in Bulgaria

Through their ongoing relationship and on the back of successfully completing relating projects, Toshiba is planning the development of a major smart grid project in Bulgaria.  The project involve the building of a 10MW photovoltaic park capable of supplying electricity to up to 2000 homes.  The project is worth EUR 37.6M and will be near Yambol.  The project was announced during the visit of the Bulgarian Energy, Tourism and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov and a business delegation to Japan this week.

Toshiba has been involve in the rehabilitation of the state-owned Maritsa Iztok 2 thermal power plant, rehabilitation of equipment at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, and providing equipment for the Chaira hydropower plant.  Traikov praises the commitment show shown by Toshiba and believe the Yambol will help Bulgaria achieve the 16% target of renewable energy sources production by 2020.

In addition to smart electricity grid to boost Bulgaria’s renewable energy sector, Toshiba has also offered to introduce electric cars based on renewable energy sources.  Overall this will add to the 35MW wind power park in Kaliakra, building by Mitsubishi.  The Minister also pointed out that would not need new power plants if up to 20% of its cars were electric.

For Toshiba this is an opportunity to break into the wider European smart grid market by demonstrating it ability to implement smart grid solutions;  because other countries in Europe are asked to increase the amount of electricity that is supplied by renewable energy sources.

"This is totally in line with Bulgaria's desire to develop renewable energy and the introduction of electric cars. To do all that, we need the proper infrastructure managed by intelligent or "smart" electric grids. Unlike the existing grids, with smart grids, electricity is not only transmitted from a power plant in all directions but it can be moved from the source to the consumer and from the consumer to the source," Traikov explained.