The Ministry of Energy has created a section on its website dedicated to open data. There, anyone can find organized, structured, and reliable information on various topics of public interest.
“Transparency in the energy sector begins with access to data. It is a tool that we are now placing in the hands of everyone—from experts to people with an interest and curiosity about topics in the sector. Our goal is to provide more information and more opportunities for informed decisions in the energy sector,” said Minister Traicho Traikov.
The open data zone launches with three key topics: energy communities, geothermal energy, and data from the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform. This is just the beginning—the platform will evolve and gradually be supplemented with new content.
The Geothermal Laboratory demonstrates how the real potential of geothermal energy in Bulgaria can be harnessed. Five successfully completed projects are presented, involving the renovation of existing systems or the construction of new systems for heating or for heating and cooling buildings using geothermal energy. In addition, a publicly accessible tool (funded under the Recovery and Resilience Plan) has been developed that allows for the assessment of the value of using geothermal resources, depending on the geographical location and the selected technology.
The Energy Communities Hub focuses on electricity-generating consumers as a practical and low-risk way to reduce bills, ensure security and decarbonized supply, and mobilize local capital.
Both platforms bring together useful resources in one place—information, analyses, reports, and practical tools. They do not provide ready-made solutions or financial, legal, or investment advice, but rather help users form their own informed judgments and develop their own projects by sharing knowledge, data, and practical experience. The included documents, analytical materials, and tools are based on specific assumptions and regulatory conditions, in connection with which the accompanying reports are also provided.
The third element in the new zone provides direct access to the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform—a centralized European information system created to collect and publish data on electricity markets and transmission networks in Europe. It is the “gold standard” for transparency in the energy sector and is operated by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E).
The platform was established in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 543/2013. Its aim is to provide all market participants (traders, analysts, regulators, and citizens) with free and equal access to fundamental data on the electricity sector. The platform covers EU member states, as well as Norway, Switzerland, and the countries of the Western Balkans. The data is submitted in real time or with a slight delay by transmission system operators (TSOs in Bulgaria), energy producers, and energy exchange operators, providing a complete picture of what is happening in the energy system.
What can be seen there?
- current and forecast electricity consumption
- generation by source, including RES
- transmission capacity and actual flows between countries
- market prices and volumes
- information on repairs and outages
Access is flexible—via a web interface with graphs and tables, through direct data downloads, or via an API for automated processing. For everyone working in the sector—or simply wanting to understand how the energy sector currently functions—this is the most reliable public source.
From Platform to Community
The Ministry of Energy’s ambition is for these new spaces to become not just an archive, but vibrant hubs for knowledge exchange. Through the opportunity for feedback, the content will continue to evolve and meet the real needs of users.
