Renewable energy in Greece

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]

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 was due to expand^[when?] by 352% by 2010 to meet the European target of 20% coverage of energy needs from renewable sources. Previously,^[when?] 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^[when?] 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]

Source: Hellenic Wind Energy Association,^[11] Statista^[12]

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.^{[citation needed]} However this mechanism overheated the market creating a big deficit of more than 500 million euros in the Greek "Operator of Electricity Market".^{[citation needed]}

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]

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.^[21] Geothermal energy in Greece accounts for only 0.5% of the country's renewable energy, and is expected to increase over coming years.^[23]

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]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renewable energy in Greece.

• Energy in Greece
• Solar power in Greece
• Renewable energy by country

• Argenti, Nicolas; Knight, Daniel M. (December 2015). "Sun, wind, and the rebirth of extractive economies: renewable energy investment and metanarratives of crisis in Greece". Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. 21 (4). Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Royal Anthropological Institute: 781–802. doi:10.1111/1467-9655.12287. hdl:10023/8405. ISSN 1467-9655. JSTOR 43907903. S2CID 161293322.