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🇧🇬 Solar Calculator Bulgaria

Enter your monthly electricity bill and city — get solar system size, NEPR net metering income, self-consumption savings, and payback period in Bulgarian Lev (лв).

Your electricity details
лвBGN
Solar system results — Bulgaria
5 kWp system — 1051 kWh/kWp/yr
Monthly kWh usage371 kWh/mo
Annual solar production5256 kWh/yr
Self-consumption savingsлв644/yr
Export income (market price)лв410/yr
Export rate appliedлв0.120/kWh
Total annual benefitлв1054/yr
System cost rangeлв10 000 – лв15 000
Total installed cost (midpoint)лв12 500
Payback period11.9 years
25-year net savingsлв13 846
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly bill and city

Enter your average monthly electricity bill in Bulgarian Lev (лв) from your supplier — CEZ (Sofia and northwest), EVN (south and southeast), or Energo-Pro (north and northeast). The calculator uses Bulgaria's average household retail rate of лв0.35/kWh (approximately €0.18/kWh). Select your city to apply accurate peak sun hours: coastal cities like Varna and Burgas receive 3.8 PSH, southern inland cities 3.7 PSH, while Sofia and northern Bulgaria average 3.5–3.6 PSH.

Choose your system size

Select system size in kWp. A typical Bulgarian apartment system is 3–5kWp; a family home 5–10kWp; commercial installations 20–30kWp. Installation costs range from лв2,000–3,000/kWp (approximately €1,000–1,500/kWp), reflecting Bulgaria's competitive solar market — one of the most affordable in the EU thanks to lower labor costs and proximity to panel manufacturing.

NEPR net metering toggle

Bulgaria's Net Energy Price Reciprocal (NEPR — Нетно Енергийно Ценово Съотношение) scheme allows residential prosumers to export surplus solar electricity and receive credits at near-retail rates (approximately 90% of retail). Without NEPR, exported electricity is sold at the lower average market price (~лв0.12/kWh). NEPR activation requires a prosumer agreement with your distribution system operator (DSO) and registration with KEVR (the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission).

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill ÷ &1083;&1074;0.35/kWh (blended BG retail rate) Annual production = kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency Self-consumption = Annual kWh × 35% (without battery) Self-consumption savings = Self-consumed kWh × &1083;&1074;0.35/kWh retail NEPR export income = Exported kWh × &1083;&1074;0.315/kWh (90% of retail) Market export income = Exported kWh × &1083;&1074;0.12/kWh (avg market) System cost = kWp × &1083;&1074;2,000–3,000/kWp installed Payback = Total cost ÷ Annual benefit (typically 7–9 years)

Bulgaria's solar energy framework is governed by the Energy Act (Закон за енергетиката) and KEVR regulations. The prosumer scheme introduced under EU Directive 2019/944 implementation allows households with systems up to 1MW to participate in net metering. EU funds (including the National Recovery and Resilience Plan — НПВУ) have supported grant schemes for residential solar installations, covering up to 70% of eligible costs for certain households. Check the Ministry of Energy (me.government.bg) for current open schemes.

Example

Georgi — Plovdiv family home, 5kWp with NEPR

Georgi pays лв130/month for his home in Plovdiv. He installs a 5kWp system and activates the NEPR prosumer scheme with EVN Bulgaria.

Monthly billлв130
City / PSHPlovdiv, 3.7 PSH
System size5 kWp
NEPREnabled

Result

Annual production~5,402 kWh/yr
Production per kWp~1,080 kWh/kWp/yr
Self-consumption savings~лв661/yr
NEPR export income~лв1,112/yr
Total annual benefit~лв1,773/yr
System cost rangeлв10,000–15,000
Payback~7.1 years
25-year net savings~лв31,825

Plovdiv's 3.7 PSH gives this system approximately 1,080 kWh/kWp/yr — strong for Central Europe. With NEPR enabled, the near-retail export credit significantly accelerates payback. Bulgaria's EU grant schemes (НПВУ) could reduce the upfront cost further, potentially cutting payback to under 5 years for qualifying households.

FAQ

Yes — Bulgaria has some of the best solar conditions in the EU, particularly along the Black Sea coast and in the south (3.7–3.8 PSH). Even with average electricity prices of лв0.30–0.40/kWh, payback periods of 7–9 years are typical. Bulgaria's EU membership means access to National Recovery Plan grants that can cover up to 70% of installation costs for households meeting eligibility criteria. The NEPR prosumer scheme further improves economics by crediting exports at near-retail rates.
NEPR (Нетно Енергийно Ценово Съотношение — Net Energy Price Reciprocal) is Bulgaria's net metering mechanism for residential and small commercial prosumers. Under NEPR, excess solar electricity fed into the grid is credited at approximately 90% of the retail rate, rather than the lower market price. The scheme applies to systems up to 1MW. To activate NEPR, sign a prosumer agreement with your distribution system operator (CEZ, EVN Bulgaria, or Energo-Pro) and register your system with KEVR. Registration typically takes 1–3 months.
Yes — Bulgaria's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (НПВУ — Национален план за възстановяване и устойчивост) includes grant schemes for household solar installations, covering up to 70% of eligible costs (typically capped at лв15,000–25,000 per household). Grants are administered through the Ministry of Energy. Additionally, OPRG (Operational Programme for Regions in Growth) and OPIC funds have supported energy efficiency and solar projects in Bulgarian municipalities. Check me.government.bg and the Fund of Funds (fmfib.bg) for currently open calls.
Varna and Burgas (both 3.8 PSH) on the Black Sea coast receive the most solar radiation — comparable to parts of northern Italy. Plovdiv, Stara Zagora (3.7 PSH) in the Thracian Plain are close behind. Sofia, Pleven, and Ruse (3.6 PSH) are slightly lower but still excellent. Veliko Tarnovo (3.5 PSH) in the Balkan foothills is the least sunny of the major cities listed, but still highly viable for solar investment.
Solar installation in Bulgaria costs approximately лв2,000–3,000/kWp (€1,000–1,500/kWp) for turnkey residential systems including panels, inverter, mounting, and labor. This is among the most competitive in the EU, reflecting Bulgaria's lower labor costs and proximity to Eastern European panel manufacturing. A typical 5kWp home system costs лв10,000–15,000 (€5,000–7,500) before any grants. Obtain at least 3 quotes and verify installer certification with the Bulgarian Chamber of Construction (KSB).

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