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]
History
editBroad 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.[7]
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.[7]
Future developments
editTwo new photovoltaic parks are currently (August 2024) under construction 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[9]. 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)[10]
Installed capacity
editYear | Capacity (MW) |
Watts per capita |
Electricity generation % |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | 205 | 18 | 0.3% |
2020 | 3,287 | 304 | 9.2% |
2023 | 6,453 | 620 | 19.0% |
List of power stations
editCurrent
editLocation | Capacity | Description | Constructed |
---|---|---|---|
Kozani | 204 MW | Park of Kozani[16] | 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 |
Future
editLocation | Capacity | Description | Constructed |
---|---|---|---|
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 | - |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Nick Hedley (2024-02-14). "How Greece became a solar leader". The Progress Playbook. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ Alexia Kalaitzi (2024-02-19). "Energy democracy takes off in Greece". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
- ^ a b "Share of electricity production from solar - Greece". Our World in Data. 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
- ^ Anu Bhambhani (2023-01-20). "Greece Targets 34.5 GW Total PV Capacity By 2050". TaiyangNews. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
- ^ New feed‐in‐tariffs for PV in Greece (Feb 2012)
- ^ HELAPCO: The Greek PV Market
- ^ a b c "Greek PV Market Investment Opportunities" (PDF). HELAPCO. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ LAGIE: DAS Monthly Reports
- ^ a b c Ξυπνητού, Μαρίνα (2024-06-21). "Δύο μεγάλα φωτοβολταϊκά πάρκα ισχύος 1 GW στη Δυτική Μακεδονία από τη ΔΕΗ". Ypodomes.com (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ a b Ξυπνητού, Μαρίνα (2024-08-16). "Σε τροχιά υλοποίησης νέο φωτοβολταϊκό πάρκο 390 MW στη Θεσσαλία". Ypodomes.com (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Photovoltaic Barometer 2011". EurObserv’ER. 2010-11-28. p. 7/22. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
- ^ "Photovoltaic Barometer 2022". EurObserv’ER. 2022-04-28. p. 2/6. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
- ^ "Photovoltaic Barometer 2024". EurObserv’ER. 2024-04-30. p. 2/7. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
- ^ Large-scale photovoltaic power plants located in Greece Archived 2010-01-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b PPC Renewables Photovoltaic Parks Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Hellenic Petroleum brings live 204-MW solar park in Greece". List.Solar. Retrieved 2022-04-08.
- ^ PPC to develop a large photovoltaic project in Kozani Archived 2012-03-12 at the Wayback Machine