Offshore wind in the Black Sea will stimulate low-carbon economic development, the uptake of competitive and secure energy production and reduce the region's dependence on fossil fuel imports. Bulgaria should finally catch up and adopt offshore wind as part of the country's long-term strategic energy policy framework and start developing the sector. A dedicated special law on offshore wind in the Black Sea would be the optimal approach to avoid potential conflicts with other existing legislative acts and secondary legislation. The law would coordinate the competencies of the authorities that govern the different phases of offshore wind project implementation opening up market competition and attracting investment interest from the most mature European offshore wind markets.  

This policy brief outlines the necessary strategic framework for offshore wind development in Bulgaria and the necessary policy measures that are necessary to overcome the current regulatory, financial, and technical barriers to the sector's development.