The Australian Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI) will consult Bulgaria on the construction of Maritsa East 4, a new power plant with cleaner carbon emissions, focused on coal-fired power generation.

The Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Traiko Traikov, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian institute, Nick Otter, had agreed, the ministry press center has announced. The two met in the Australian capital Canberra, where Minister Traikov is on an official visit.

Minister Traikov and Nick Otter also agreed that Bulgaria should become a member of the Global Institute (GCCSI).

The International Institute GCCSI is financed by the Australian Government, and its primary goal is the introduction of pure technologies in industry.

GCCSI offers expertise and financial consultancies to enterprises introducing technologies while preserving the environment. Such consultancy assistance may be used both for new power plants and for existing coal power stations.

In the context of climate change, the adoption of ecologically based industry in Bulgaria is of extreme importance. Fighting climate change is a priority of the EU as a whole, and of Bulgaria in particular.

In this respect, agreements of the kind made with GCCSI are of particular significance for the country. Bilateral trade exchange between Bulgaria and Australia in 2008 amounted to USD 101,4 M, a record level in the past eight years.