The BrightRoof project aims to accelerate rooftop solar deployment on public buildings in Bulgaria and Greece through policy support, municipal capacity building, and practical pilot actions.
In the European Union, solar energy deployment is promoted through the EU Solar Rooftop Initiative, the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and the revised Renewable Energy Directive. These policies require Member States to install solar energy systems on new and existing public buildings and to streamline permitting procedures for rooftop photovoltaics. Greece and Bulgaria have committed to ambitious renewable energy targets under their National Energy and Climate Plans. However, the process remains slow and complicated. Both countries face policy inconsistencies, approval obstacles, fragmented regulations, capacity constraints, and limited awareness of the applicable framework.
In this context, the project’s goal is to accelerate the installation of rooftop solar panels on public buildings in Bulgaria and Greece by addressing regulatory, technical, and financial barriers. The project will be based on a targeted analysis of existing frameworks and national permitting procedures, with the aim of strengthening the technical and administrative capacities of local authorities through capacity building and targeted training. In addition, the consortium will conduct feasibility studies in two pilot municipalities in Greece and Bulgaria.
Within the framework of the project, the target groups to be engaged include local and national governments, associations, non-governmental organisations, and key national decision-makers in Greece and Bulgaria. Through effective coordination among these actors, the planning, financing, and facilitation of rooftop solar deployment in public buildings in the two countries will be enabled.
The BrightRoof project is funded by European Climate Initiative (EUKI) under Grant Agreement 81322823.