At the Ninth Global Hydrogen Summit in Amsterdam (April 29–30, 2025)*, Prof. Daria Vladikova, Scientific Coordinator of the H2START Project, delivered a powerful message: Bulgaria has everything it needs to become a hydrogen leader—except momentum.
With abundant solar and wind resources and a strategic position in the Southeast Hydrogen Corridor, Bulgaria is ideally placed to drive green hydrogen production. The country’s solar capacity alone has jumped from 1.2 GW in 2020 to 4.5 GW in 2024, with room for much more. The development of wind farms also holds great promise. According to AFRI‘s pricing model, it is expected that half of Northern Europe’s hydrogen demand will be met by supplies from Southern Europe by 2045, making the Southeastern corridor increasingly important. However, while other EU corridors are advancing with over 50 hydrogen projects, our corridor remains largely inactive—this must change urgently. Bulgaria has the potential to become a key player in this transition—a potential that must now be given the “green light.”
Recent setbacks, such as the removal of the country’s only hydrogen project from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, underline this lack of urgency. Although two cross-border hydrogen pipelines are in early planning stages, Bulgaria, like other countries, faces major obstacles:
- Regulatory gaps
- Limited cooperation with neighboring countries
- Absence of clean hydrogen production
According to Prof. Vladikova, Bulgaria must act fast to benefit from EU funding and avoid long-term delays. The Just Transition Fund could be a key enabler—but only if used in time.
The message from Amsterdam is clear: Bulgaria’s hydrogen future is bright—but only if we start building it now.
*The Global Hydrogen Summit, held in Amsterdam on April 29-30, 2025, brought together over 40 industry leaders from across the hydrogen value chain, including hydrogen producers, energy and engineering companies, consultants, and research institutions. This global gathering highlighted the growing significance of hydrogen in Europe’s energy future, with Bulgaria poised to play a pivotal role in the Southeast Hydrogen Corridor.
