Solar power in Greece has been driven by a combination of government incentives and equipment cost reductions. The installation boom started in the late 2000s with feed-in tariffs has evolved into a market featuring auctions, power purchase agreements, and self-generation.[1] The country's relatively high level of solar insolation is an advantage boosting the effectiveness of solar panels; within Europe, Greece receives 50% more solar irradiation than Germany.[2]
In 2022, solar power accounted for 12.6% of total electricity generation in Greece, up from 0.3% in 2010 and less than 0.1% in 2000.[3] The national government's 2023 National Energy & Climate Plan anticipates solar PV capacity rising from 4.8 GW in 2022 to 14.1 GW in 2030, and 34.5 GW in 2050.[4]
Broad development of solar power in Greece started in the 2000s, with installations of photovoltaic systems skyrocketing from 2009 because of the appealing feed-in tariffs introduced and the corresponding regulations for domestic applications of rooftop solar PV. However, funding the FITs created an unacceptable deficit of more than €500 million in the Greek "Operator of Electricity Market" RES fund. To reduce that deficit, new regulations were introduced in August 2012 including retrospective feed-in tariffs reduction,[5] with further reductions over time.[6] These measures enabled the deficit to be erased by 2017.[7]
Auctions have replaced FITs and after stagnating since 2013, as of 2019 Greece was again installing hundreds of MWp per year.
By April 2015, the total installed photovoltaic capacity in Greece had reached 2,442.6 MWp from which 350.5 MWp were installed on rooftops and the rest were ground mounted.[8] Greece ranks 5th worldwide with regard to per capita installed PV capacity.
Two new photovoltaic parks are currently (August 2024) under contruction in Western Macedonia with a total capacity of 1,000MW [9] . This new energy project is carried out by Greece's Public Power Corporation in a joint venture with RWE Renewables Europe & Australia. Both of these parks are expected to commence operations in 2025. In addition, a new photovoltaic park in Thessaly of a total capacity of 390MW is under design (as of August 2024)
See main article: Solar power in the European Union and Growth of photovoltaics.
| Year | Capacity (MW) | Watts per capita | Electricity generation % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=right | 2010 | align=center | 205 | align=center | 18 | align=center | 0.3% |
| align=right | 2020 | align=center | 3,287 | align=center | 304 | align=center | 9.2% |
| align=right | 2023 | align=center | 6,453 | align=center | 620 | align=center | 19.0% |
| Kozani | 204 MW | Park of Kozani[15] | 2022 |
| Naoussa | 7+7 MW | Photovoltaic plants cluster | 2013 |
| Florina | 4.3 MW | Florina industrial zone | 2009 |
| Volos | 2 MW | Photovoltaic power plant Volos | 2009 |
| Thebes | 2 MW | Photovoltaic power plant Thebes | 2009 |
| Koutsopodi | 1.997 MW | 2009 | |
| Tripoli | 1.99 MW | 2009 | |
| Pournari | 1.25 MW | 2009 | |
| Iliopenditiki | 1 MW | 2009 | |
| Pontoiraklia | 944 kW | 2009 | |
| Kythnos | 100 kW | 2009 | |
| Sifnos | 60 kW | 1998 | |
| Tavros, ILPAP Building | 20 kW | 2009 | |
| Ethel Station | 20 kW | 2009 | |
| Maroussi, Eirini metro station | 20 kW | 2009 | |
| Ptolemaida | 550MW | Lignite Centre of Western Macedonia | To commence operation in 2025 | |
| Amyntaio | 450MW | Western Macedonia | To commence operation in 2025 | |
| Thessaly | 390MW | Park of Argyromylos | - | |
| Megalopoli | 50 MW | Park of Megalopoli | - | |
| Crete | 0.48 MW | Park of Atherinolakos | - |