Greece Sees Huge Increase in Renewable Energy Applications

Greece’s ambitious 2030 renewable energy target of 23.5 GW has led to an enormous increase in projects being applied for in the country.

Greece’s Renewable Energy Landscape

According to Greek energy news portal, Energypress, applications submitted to power grid operator IPTO to build renewable energy system projects in Greece has grown at an “alarming rate.”

The energy publication said these applications, all seeking connection to the grid, represent a total of roughly 42GW. In total, the proposals include more than 1,700 potential projects submitted by individual companies with either producer certificates or production licenses. They represent an overall capacity of 34.1 GW.

This is in addition to group submissions which would add a further 7.9 GW of renewable energy availability if permitted.

According to Energy Press, 15 GW’s worth of renewables projects currently under development have already received grid connection offers, while 10.6 GW of Greece’s renewable energy units are already in operation.

The outlet explains that renewables energy projects representing an overall capacity of 67.6 GW have either secured grid reservations, or submitted applications for capacity. It also concludes that a large number of the projects waiting for grid reservation permission will not be developed.

Balkan Green Energy News points out that 67.6 GW would be enough not only to surpass Greece’s 2030 target of 23.5 GW but also the country’s 2050 target, which stands at 54 GW.

Furthermore, the publication highlights that, in December of last year, projects totaling an output of 1.2 GW were submitted, despite the Ministry of Environment and Energy raising the sum of the obligatory guarantee to dissuade investors from making too many submissions earlier in the year.

“The question is what share can be realized. The transmission and distribution grids cannot accommodate much more than the 2030 goal of 23.5 GW, which means adding new facilities,” Balkan Green Energy News states.

Speaking to the publication, chairman of the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy, and Water (RAWEW) Athanasios Dagoumas said: “Network operators must do their job to expand the grid and they will, otherwise there will be consequences. Grids are an absolute priority and they must be concluded in a timely fashion.”

The news site claims that the majority of renewables not needed to cover Greece’s demand will inevitably turn to exports. Greece has plans to expand its energy connections through the construction of two lines, one to the East Mediterranean and the other to Egypt, on top of upgrading existing connections with Italy, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. 

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also shown support for the creation of the Green Aegean Interconnection, a route through the Western Balkans for renewable energy to reach Austria and Germany, the site reported.