Al. Sdoukou: Measures to curb energy costs in industry

Funding from the recovery fund for the implementation of energy offset in industry will begin in 2022, said the Secretary General of Energy and Mineral Raw Materials, Alexandra Sdoukou, speaking at an event of the Association of Industries of Central Greece on energy costs.

This is one of the measures implemented by the government to alleviate the energy costs of the industry, which has been launched due to the rise in international gas prices and carbon dioxide emission rights.

Through energy offset, industries will be able to meet part of their energy needs with renewable energy sources and sell any surplus to the grid. The energy package for the industry also includes the suspension of utility bills until March, the increase in resources for third-country industries competing due to European climate policy (“carbon leakage”), the extension of the interruptibility measure imposed in the EU, etc.

Ms. Sdoukou characterized the moaning of households and businesses for the increase of energy costs as justified, as she said that the prices are formed at unprecedented levels that create a need for action at European level.

On the business side, the president of the Union of Industrial Energy Consumers, Antonis Kontoleon, stressed that the price of electricity for industry has quadrupled, while the price of natural gas has increased fivefold resulting in an increase in production costs by 20 to 40% depending with the industry. Mr. Kontoleon estimated that the crisis will not be temporary and that at best prices will de-escalate in April without ruling out a further rise in the future. He also noted that the effects on Greek industry are more unfavorable because, as he said, there is no competition in the wholesale market in contrast to the other countries of the European Union.

The Director of European and Regulatory Affairs of Mytilene, Nikos Keramidas, pointed out the need for European policy not to be one-dimensional in dealing with climate change, but also to take into account the effects on the cost, energy efficiency and self-sufficiency of the European Union in industrial products. . He said that under the current circumstances, European policy is exacerbating the climate crisis as production is transferred from Europe to third countries where greenhouse gas emissions are multiple. He stressed that many metallurgical plants in Europe have been shut down as rising energy costs have made production unprofitable.