Environmental research

Justification The agriculture producers play a significant role in the environmental protection and in keeping the energy recourses the rural regions occupy 90 percent of the territory of the EU and 50 percent of the population live there. The strategy for sustainable development of the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU has as a main point the environmental protection. The establishing of DEMO center for utilizing active solar energy in the agriculture will help to raise the energy efficiency in the farm and help the farmers in the region to raise their incomes. Location Subotkovtsi Village, Gabrovo municipality, North Central Region Project Target Groups - the farm workers, living in the farm region - the Bulgarian and foreign tourists visiting the farm - farmers from the local community which will be consulted about the benefits of using EE activities Goal and expected impacts To demonstrate the new technologies for EE in practice in the field of agriculture and in this way to create a model for sustainable agricultural practices for the local farmers community. In the process of realization of the project will participate representatives from Gabrovo Municipality and from the State Fund Agriculture service Agricultural advices. Objectives and expected results * To create a DEMO centre for EE by utilizing solar energy for domestic hot water and photovoltaic systems for lighting in the region of DOLI farm - installed power for the domestic hot water - number of installed panels - number of the installed photovoltaic modules - realized economy of electricity compared to 2008 * To work out a tourist product for eco-farm tourism in DOLI farm - number of tourists, visiting the farm - realized incomes from the tourist products Major activities 1. Organization and project management 2. Publicity and sustainability of the project activities 3. Installing of energy saving photovoltaic lighting in the farm 4. Installing of solar panels for domestic hot water for the farm use and in the dwelling houses 5. Creating a tourist product for eco-farm tourism in Bozhentsi farm 6. Monitoring and evaluation of the project Partnership with GEF SGP proposals/projects N 161 Environmental protection and environmental education via green tourism demonstration project in Balani village, Gabrovo N 137 Establishing a demonstration centre for energy management (together with DEMO sites) in Gabrovo region for raising the public knowledge and popularization the use of RES in households Sustainability This project will help to raise the energy efficiency in the farm and in this way will secure a healthy environment for the animals and the people around. Doli Agro will continue to inform and demonstrate to other farmers the usefulness of introducing RES in agriculture. Project Budget Total: 60 600 BGN of which from SPG 28 300 BGN (46.70 %) Own contribution: 32 300 BGN 37,30 % financial and 16 % in-kind

Bulgaria