The southeast Bulgarian town of Karnobat is to become a center of renewable energy production, as EUR 150 M will be invested in the construction of an alternative energy park there.

The news was announced Sunday by the Mayor of Karnobat Georgi Dimitrov. Two technological parks - one with wind energy generators, and another with photovoltaic generators - are to be built on a deserted plot of 5700 decares, owned by the Municipality of Karnobat.

Dimitrov said that the procedure for the concession of the land had already started, and was expected to be completed by the end of 2008. It will be for up to 35 years.

The Mayor predicted that the realization of the project would create 250 temporary and 60 permanent jobs for the town. Before the BGNES news agency he pointed out that there had no other technological park of such proportions existed in the Burgas District.

According to Dimitrov, who did not specify the names of the companies investing in the project, the investors were already negotiating with the National Electric Company NEK and the EVN electricity provider for securing the market for the electricity to be produced from the renewable sources.

A similar smaller-scale project for a photovoltaic park is to be realized in the village of Smolnik, Karnobat Municipality, as well. Foreign companies are also allegedly interested in investing in renewable energy parks in three other villages in the region.

The town of Karnobat has a population of almost 20 000. It is located 56 km northwest of the Black Sea city of Burgas.

The climate in large parts of northeast and southeast Bulgaria is considered especially favorable for producing electricity from renewable energy sources.

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