Second National Roundtable in Bulgaria under the INFIRE project
The Second National Roundtable within the frame of the project INFIRE (INnovative FInancing solutions for climate planning of REsilient and carbon neutral living areas), co-funded by the Interreg Euro-MED Programme, was organised by the Bulgarian partner, Regional Energy Agency of Pazardjik (REAP), on the 11th of February 2026 in Peshtera, Bulgaria. The event was attended by representatives from local administrations, energy and environmental agencies, an SMEs association, and other interested stakeholders. Most of these organisations bring together highly qualified experts in different fields, including energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, climate change, financial instruments in the energy sector, and policy making.
The event started with a welcoming speech by Mr Georgi Simeonov, Project Manager at REAP. Then, the main project objectives and partnership were presented. The meeting continued with a review of the INFIRE project outcomes from Work Packages (WP) 1 and 2. This included an assessment of public authorities’ capacities to engage in climate adaptation and carbon neutrality planning, and an analysis of existing financing options for climate-related projects.
A key part of the roundtable was the current progress in establishing an Energy Help Desk (EHD) in Peshtera – one of the main activities in WP3. This Energy Office serves as a hub for citizens to receive advice and support on energy poverty topics. It marks an important step toward building a more energy-resilient and socially inclusive future for the local community.
A key lesson from the INFIRE implementation across partner regions is the benefit of learning from diverse pilot experiences across the Euro-MED area. Examples from partners – such as Bio-solar roofs in Croatia; Nature-based solutions in Portugal; Green schoolyards in France; Decarbonised heating in Italy, Energy efficiency measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina; a decision-support tool to optimize heating strategies, reduce emissions, and guide policies in France; and a mobility hub in Kalamata’s city center in Greece – serve as good practices that can inspire similar local actions and encourage innovative thinking.
During the event, the REAP team also outlined the next steps of the INFIRE project, which are focusing on fostering the EHD interaction with vulnerable households of Peshtera. Two complementary activities are being organized at the moment by municipal officers and REAP, targeting at citizens:
- Organize small workshops with citizens in the premises of Peshtera administrative building;
- Conduct home visits to vulnerable households and discuss with them in a friendly environment topics like energy performance and behaviour patterns, existing funding schemes, etc.
To support these two activities, the EHD will use the so called “INFIRE Energy Box” that will serve as practical engagement tool which helps citizens better understand their energy consumption patterns and learn about simple, accessible measures to optimize consumption.
The box contains:
- A smart meter plug to monitor and manage appliance-level electricity consumption;
- Two LED bulbs illustrating simple, low-cost efficiency improvements;
- A small fan to explain the link between rising summer temperatures and efficient cooling practices;
- Printed materials with tips for reducing energy consumption, managing indoor comfort and cool down during the summer period;
- An INFIRE leaflet explaining the project and the Helpdesk’s purpose.
The event concluded by strengthening connections among stakeholders involved in sustainable energy and climate planning in Bulgaria and highlighted the potential of the INFIRE project to influence policy and practice beyond the pilot regions.
