Page 76 - European Energy Innovation - Winter 2014
P. 76
Winter 2014 European Energy Innovation
GREECE
laws, presidential decrees and a stable return on investment, renewable energy, with 1.5GW
ministerial decisions the country complemented by financing installed capacity, followed by
has effectively committed to the support. solar (460MW), small hydro
EU set targets and the Kyoto (206MW) and biomass (44MW).
Protocol Agreements. • A reward system targeted The contribution of RES in the
towards local communities, electricity mix in 2012 reached
The new legislation included as ensuring benefits to the local 14% with an increase of 23% from
an objective, to facilitate small communities and individuals. 2011. Note that in 2008 the RES
projects and to accelerate the contribution was 5% plus a 4%
licensing procedure of the larger • Further detailing of a spatial from the old hydro plants.
RES projects, since bureaucracy planning policy, ensuring
and red tape was the main clarity and non-recourse for As a result of the improved
problem investors used to the proposed project locations. legislation and operational
complain about. To this end, the framework for RES investments in
previous multiple environmental The Greek Energy Framework the recent years, the RES industry
licensing stages were merged Policy follows the requirements of is one of the few remaining
and renewable energy project the “EC 20-20-20”. In principle it profitable sectors of the Greek
zoning (land use) was effectively means that Greece must achieve economy.
revised. by year 2020: 20% reduction of
carbon dioxide emissions, 20% What is missing and what is
The main elements of the 2010 penetration of renewables in the needed are large scale RES
RES legislation improvements energy balance, 20% growth of projects that will have a big effect
include: energy-efficiency savings. on the proposed “EC 20-20-20”
targets.
• Clear and ambitious targets for These objectives will be met,
each renewable energy source, through a number of stated Unfortunately, these large projects
providing long-term clarity to government policies and reforms cannot be financed by the Greek
investors and industry on the that include, investment in RES, distressed banking system or the
market volumes. network and grid improvement, existing Greek Energy companies
privatizations, energy efficiency of or the indebted Greek state
• A significant reduction of the buildings, public transportation and definitely require foreign
number of administrative steps initiatives and upgrades, investments and specific EU
involved in the permitting extensive institutional reform, etc. financing and support tools.
process (“a one-stop shop”),
providing clarity on the The new institutional RES A number of RES projects
administrative process. framework and the demonstrated have been discussed and
commitment, has already proven investigated in the last five years;
• Clear administrative deadlines, its effectiveness even through the majority of them are wind
ensuring that developers the period of the Greek crisis and energy production related, with a
will receive decisions after a fiscal instability. potential capacity of over 2.500
reasonable pre-determined MW. Other projects include PV
and fixed time. Effectively, during the last years and solar thermal with a total
electricity production from project capacity of more than
• A clear tariff structure, ensuring RES has almost doubled in 500 MW.
share. According to the Greek
Eva KAILI authorities, a stunning 25.000 It is important that the Greek side
MW of renewable energy projects and the EU relevant authorities
Member of the European Parliament have acquired a production work together so that these
(2014-2019) license, 1.900 MW an installation projects and the holistic Greek
license and 2.200 MW an policy approach will be taken in
Full member of the Committee Industry, operation license. account by the EU Commission,
Research and Energy (ITRE) the experts and the other
Wind projects account for relevant bodies involved in the
Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Science about 90% of the capacity of process of designing the new
and Technology Options Assessment body the licenses, so wind power EU energy strategy that is under
(STOA) remains the dominant form of consideration. l
ITRE representative on the STOA Panel
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
GREECE
laws, presidential decrees and a stable return on investment, renewable energy, with 1.5GW
ministerial decisions the country complemented by financing installed capacity, followed by
has effectively committed to the support. solar (460MW), small hydro
EU set targets and the Kyoto (206MW) and biomass (44MW).
Protocol Agreements. • A reward system targeted The contribution of RES in the
towards local communities, electricity mix in 2012 reached
The new legislation included as ensuring benefits to the local 14% with an increase of 23% from
an objective, to facilitate small communities and individuals. 2011. Note that in 2008 the RES
projects and to accelerate the contribution was 5% plus a 4%
licensing procedure of the larger • Further detailing of a spatial from the old hydro plants.
RES projects, since bureaucracy planning policy, ensuring
and red tape was the main clarity and non-recourse for As a result of the improved
problem investors used to the proposed project locations. legislation and operational
complain about. To this end, the framework for RES investments in
previous multiple environmental The Greek Energy Framework the recent years, the RES industry
licensing stages were merged Policy follows the requirements of is one of the few remaining
and renewable energy project the “EC 20-20-20”. In principle it profitable sectors of the Greek
zoning (land use) was effectively means that Greece must achieve economy.
revised. by year 2020: 20% reduction of
carbon dioxide emissions, 20% What is missing and what is
The main elements of the 2010 penetration of renewables in the needed are large scale RES
RES legislation improvements energy balance, 20% growth of projects that will have a big effect
include: energy-efficiency savings. on the proposed “EC 20-20-20”
targets.
• Clear and ambitious targets for These objectives will be met,
each renewable energy source, through a number of stated Unfortunately, these large projects
providing long-term clarity to government policies and reforms cannot be financed by the Greek
investors and industry on the that include, investment in RES, distressed banking system or the
market volumes. network and grid improvement, existing Greek Energy companies
privatizations, energy efficiency of or the indebted Greek state
• A significant reduction of the buildings, public transportation and definitely require foreign
number of administrative steps initiatives and upgrades, investments and specific EU
involved in the permitting extensive institutional reform, etc. financing and support tools.
process (“a one-stop shop”),
providing clarity on the The new institutional RES A number of RES projects
administrative process. framework and the demonstrated have been discussed and
commitment, has already proven investigated in the last five years;
• Clear administrative deadlines, its effectiveness even through the majority of them are wind
ensuring that developers the period of the Greek crisis and energy production related, with a
will receive decisions after a fiscal instability. potential capacity of over 2.500
reasonable pre-determined MW. Other projects include PV
and fixed time. Effectively, during the last years and solar thermal with a total
electricity production from project capacity of more than
• A clear tariff structure, ensuring RES has almost doubled in 500 MW.
share. According to the Greek
Eva KAILI authorities, a stunning 25.000 It is important that the Greek side
MW of renewable energy projects and the EU relevant authorities
Member of the European Parliament have acquired a production work together so that these
(2014-2019) license, 1.900 MW an installation projects and the holistic Greek
license and 2.200 MW an policy approach will be taken in
Full member of the Committee Industry, operation license. account by the EU Commission,
Research and Energy (ITRE) the experts and the other
Wind projects account for relevant bodies involved in the
Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Science about 90% of the capacity of process of designing the new
and Technology Options Assessment body the licenses, so wind power EU energy strategy that is under
(STOA) remains the dominant form of consideration. l
ITRE representative on the STOA Panel
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
