Eng. Plamen Dilkov, CEO of BG Engineering, participated as a speaker in the international forum “Central and Eastern Europe & Western Balkans – Energy, Infrastructure & Industrial Security Forum”, held on 22 May in Belgrade at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.

The event brought together institutional representatives, energy sector stakeholders, investors and companies from across the region to discuss the future of energy infrastructure, regional interconnections and industrial security in Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans.

During the panel dedicated to the energy transition, Eng. Plamen Dilkov highlighted one of the key challenges facing Europe today: the growing gap between the rapid expansion of renewable energy and the slower development of transmission and interconnection infrastructure.

According to Eng. Plamen Dilkov, Europe has successfully accelerated the deployment of solar, wind and energy storage systems in recent years, while electricity grids and cross-border connections have not progressed at the same pace. This imbalance risks turning network congestion into a major obstacle to decarbonisation and the integration of the European energy market.

The discussion also underlined the strategic importance of investing in transnational networks and regional infrastructure, including the role of Corridor VIII in strengthening energy security and regional integration across the Balkans.

In the second panel, focused on attracting private capital and accelerating energy projects, Eng. Plamen Dilkov emphasized the value of ESCO models, energy efficiency and self-consumption, describing them as essential tools for a sustainable, practical and competitive energy transition.