Renewable energy in Greece explained

Renewable energy in Greece accounted for 29 percent of its electricity from renewable sources in 2021. By 2030, renewables are expected to have a capacity of 28GW, and exceed 61 percent of Greece's electricity consumption.[1] This is a significant increase from 8% of the country's total energy consumption in 2008.[2] By 2022, Greece occasionally reached 100% renewables for a few hours.[3] The target for 2050 is a capacity of 65GW.[4]

Regulatory conditions

The increase in renewables is in part because of a changing regulatory environment. In August 2016, a new renewable energy law was approved that aims to further stimulate renewable energy investments by introducing feed-in premiums, competitive tenders, and virtual net metering.[5] Under the new law, the compensation for renewable energy producers will consist of what they receive in the electricity market plus a variable feed-in premium. The latter is the difference between a price depending on market variables (e.g., the system’s marginal price) and a set price decided via a competitive tender.[5] Furthermore, from the beginning of 2017, the new scheme to approve new renewable energy capacity is based on competitive tenders, where the Energy Minister is able to call on a tender for specific capacities and technologies.[5]

Wind power

Wind power was due to expand by 352% by 2010 to meet the European target of 20% coverage of energy needs from renewable sources. Previously, there were 1,028 wind turbines installed throughout Greece and the number was set to reach 2,587 wind turbines before the end of 2010.[6]

According to the Ministry of Environment and Public Works, the system would have a nameplate capacity of 3,372 MW of power from wind alone compared to 746 MW at the end of 2006.[7] Greece chose to invest primarily to wind power by 77%, while the rest of renewable sources altogether comprise the remaining 23% of production with hydroelectric power being second with 11%.[8] [9]

The Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES) is the Greek national entity for the promotion of renewable energy sources, rational use of energy and energy conservation.[10]

Timeline

year MW change change %
1987 0.8 0.0 0.0%
1988 0.8 0.0 0.0%
1989 1.1 0.3 27.3%
1990 1.5 0.4 26.7%
1991 3.9 2.4 61.5%
1992 19.4 15.5 79.9%
1993 26.0 6.6 25.4%
1994 26.6 0.6 2.3%
1995 27.3 0.7 2.6%
1996 27.3 0.0 0.0%
1997 27.3 0.0 0.0%
1998 38.8 11.5 29.6%
1999 107.0 68.2 63.7%
year MW change change %
2000 237 130 54.9%
2001 277 40 14.4%
2002 293 16 5.5%
2003 409 116 28.4%
2004 481 72 15.0%
2005 603 122 20.2%
2006 750 147 19.6%
2007 850 100 11.8%
2008 997 147 14.7%
2009 1,155 158 13.7%
2010 1,324 169 12.8%
2011 1,637 313 19.1%
2012 1,751 114 6.5%
year MW change change %
2013 1,866 115 6.2%
2014 1,978 112 5.7%
2015 2,136 158 7.4%
2016 2,371 235 9.9%
2017 2,652 281 10.6%
2018 2,828 176 6.2%
2019 3,576 748 26.4%
2020 4,113 537 15.0%
2021 4,451 338 8.2%
2023 5,230 779 17.5%
Source: Hellenic Wind Energy Association,[11] Statista[12]

Solar power

See main article: Solar power in Greece. The solar energy development in Greece started in 2006 and increased substantially from 2009 because of the high feed-in tariffs introduced and the corresponding regulations for domestic applications of PVs on rooftops. However this mechanism overheated the market creating a big deficit of more than 500 million euros in the Greek "Operator of Electricity Market".

From August 2012 new regulations have been introduced including a temporary tax imposed to all operating PV plants (excluding residential applications), licensing of new PV projects have been put on halt and the feed-in tariffs were drastically reduced.[13]

As of December 2013, the total installed photovoltaic capacity in Greece reached 2,419.2 MWp [14] of which 987.2 MWp were installed in the period between January–September 2013 despite the financial crisis.[15] Greece ranks 5th worldwide with regard to per capita installed PV capacity. It is expected that PV produced energy will cover up to 7% of the country's electricity demand in 2014.[16]

PV in Greece
2005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
align=left Total capacity (MWpeak)[17] [18] [19] [20] 5 7 9 19 55 205 6311,543 2,585 2,603 2,613 2,604 2,606 2,645 2,794 3,288 3,964 5,430 6,453
align=left Watt/capita 55.8136.7 233.7 236.8 241.7 241.7 242.3 246.5 260.6 307.9 380.0 519.8 617.8

Geothermal energy

Due to Greece's geographical positioning in the world, they are advantageous when its comes to harnessing geothermal energy at high or low temperatures.[21] High temperature geothermal energy is classified by being above 90 degrees Celsius, and low temperature geothermal energy is when temperatures are between 25 and 90 degrees Celsius.[22] High temperature geothermal energy can be located 1-2 kilometers beneath Santorini, Nisyros, and the Aegean Islands of Milos, while low temperature geothermal energy can be located in regions such as Loutra-Samothrakis, Serres, Chalkidiki, Alexandroupolis, Lesvos, Chios, and Thermopyles. Geothermal energy in Greece accounts for only 0.5% of the country's renewable energy, and is expected to increase over coming years.[23]

Biomass and biofuels

The amount of biomass that Greece annually produces is estimated to be 2,132,286 tonnes, and this amount comes close to other Mediterranean countries biomass such as Italy and Portugal.[24] Biodiesel is created through such raw materials and around 60% of biodiesel made from Greece originates from oilseeds, 27% comes from used animals fats, frying oils, and vegetable oils, while the last 13% is cotton seeds.[25] Greece's consumption of biofuels is less than 2%, but that percentage is said to increase as years go by because of the large markets and growth potential of biomass and biofuels.[26]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Greece, a green energy laggard in Europe, boosts renewable energy . Aljazeera.com . 2021-12-07.
  2. Web site: Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption % . 2008 . . 24 October 2011.
  3. Web site: Good news for Greece as renewables fully power country for first time . . en . 11 October 2022.
  4. Web site: Solar PV Exceeds 5.7 GW Cumulative Capacity In Greece, Including 489 MW Added In H1/2023 . 16 August 2023.
  5. Web site: Greece Approves New Renewable Energy Law. Ilias Tsagas. Renewable Energy World. 2016-08-17. 2017-06-03. 2017-06-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20170606043747/http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/08/greece-approves-new-renewable-energy-law.html. dead.
  6. Web site: Greece commits for 2,587 wind turbines . 2014-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120305201639/http://www.tanea.gr/default.asp?pid=2 . 2012-03-05 . dead .
  7. http://www.kelemenis.com/pdf/pub11.pdf Rising to the Challenge:the growth of wind power generation in Greece
  8. http://www.minenv.gr/4/41/e4100.html Greek Ministry of Environment
  9. http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/doc/factsheets/renewables/renewables_el_en.pdf Greece Renewable Energy - Europa Fact Sheet
  10. Web site: Center For Renewable Energy Sources (CRES). 2021-03-10. www.cres.gr.
  11. Web site: Todorović . Igor . Greece breaks records in renewables, energy efficiency in 2023 . Balkan Green Energy News . 4 May 2024 . 24 January 2024.
  12. Web site: Greece: wind power capacity 2023 . Statista . 4 May 2024 . en.
  13. http://helapco.gr/en/the-greek-pv-market/ HELAPCO: The Greek PV Market
  14. Web site: LAGIE: DAS Monthly Reports . 2014-03-02 . 2014-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140124232144/http://www.lagie.gr/fileadmin/groups/EDRETH/DAS_Monthly_Reports/201312_DAS_Monthly_Report.pdf . dead .
  15. http://helapco.gr/pdf/pv-stats_greece_18Oct2013.pdf HELAPCO: Total installed capacity January-September 2013
  16. http://helapco.gr/en/the-greek-pv-market/ HELAPCO: The Greek PV market
  17. http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro178.asp Photovoltaic energy barometer 2007 – EurObserv’ER
  18. http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro190.asp Photovoltaic energy barometer 2009 – EurObserv’ER
  19. https://www.eurobserv-er.org/category/all-photovoltaic-barometers/ Photovoltaic energy barometer 2010-2016 – EurObserv’ER
  20. Web site: All Photovoltaic barometers Archives . EurObserv'ER . 19 November 2022.
  21. Web site: Greece - Renewable Energy Privacy Shield . 2022-05-25 . www.privacyshield.gov . en.
  22. Web site: Hanson . Patrick . 2019-04-26 . Geothermal Country Overview: Potential in Greece . 2022-05-25 . GeoEnergy Marketing . en-US.
  23. Papachristou . Maria . Arvanitis . Apostolos . Mendrinos . Dimitrios . Dalampakis . Paschalis . Karytsas . Constantine . Andritsos . N. . 2019-06-01 . Geothermal Energy Use, Country Update for Greece (2016-2019) .
  24. Alatzas . Spyridon . Moustakas . Konstantinos . Malamis . Dimitrios . Vakalis . Stergios . 2018 . Biomass Potential from Agricultural Waste for Energetic Utilization in Greece . Energies . en . 12 . 6 . 1095 . 10.3390/en12061095 . 1996-1073. free .
  25. Web site: Power . Rhett . Big Opportunity For Greece At World Economic Forum . 2022-05-25 . Forbes . en.
  26. Papadopoulou . E. . Vaitsas . Konstantinos . Fallas . Ioannis . Tsipas . Giorgos . Chrissafis . K. . Bikiaris . D. . Kottaridi . Constantina . Vorgias . Konstantinos E. . 2018 . Bio-economy in Greece: Current trends and the road ahead . The Eurobiotech Journal. 2 . 3 . 137–145 . en . 10.2478/ebtj-2018-0018. 62882595 . free .