Third Citizen Energy Breakfast Session webinar
The third Citizen Energy Breakfast Session webinar took place on Tuesday 23 June 2026. The recording below features a talk from Todor Popov, one of the founding members of the Gabrovo Energy Community in Bulgaria. Todor is responsible for its strategic and operational management, implementing decisions taken by the community, and coordinating between its members, the municipality, and external partners. Established in November 2023, the Gabrovo Energy Community brings together residents, SMEs, and the municipal authority to collectively generate and manage renewable energy. The community operates a solar installation on a municipal site, which produces nearly 100 MWh of renewable electricity annually. This reduces reliance on external energy markets, delivers cost savings of around 10% for participating sites, and cuts carbon emissions by around 46 tons per year. Gabrovo offers valuable insights into community energy projects that are resilient, inclusive, and impactful. It is also a practical example of how municipalities can support energy communities whilst strengthening social cohesion.
Citizen Energy Breakfast Sessions are a series of interactive webinars spotlighting real-world experiences and lessons from citizen energy initiatives across Europe. Each session features a guest speaker, a fresh topic and region, and plenty of opportunities for audience participation and discussion.
Sessions are open to members of the Citizen Energy Network - a free, growing community for sharing knowledge, networking, and collaborating on citizen-focused energy solutions. Anyone interested can join the network!
Watch the edited recording below.