Commission: ‘Green light’ in Greek plan 1.4 billion euros for the development of electricity from RES

The European Commission has approved a € 1.4 billion plan to develop electricity from renewable sources on non-interconnected islands in Greece, under EU state aid rules.

In particular, the project supports the production of electricity from so-called hybrid power plants, which generate and store electricity based on solar and wind energy. About 80% of electricity in the Greek islands is currently produced with diesel and oil. Due to saturated networks, the addition of storage facilities to renewable energy plants is necessary to increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity system on these islands. The 47 islands involved, including Crete, will be covered by the regime until their final connection to mainland Greece.

In total, through this measure, Greece aims to support 264 MW of new renewable energy capacity by the end of 2026. The Commission assessed the measure on the basis of EU state aid rules, in particular the 2014 State Aid Guidelines for environmental and energy protection (“EEAG”). The Commission found that the aid was proportionate and limited to the minimum necessary. In most islands, the beneficiaries of the aid will be selected on the basis of a competitive procedure. On the island of Crete there is an urgent need to add more renewable energy capacity, due to the risk of lack of supply.

The Commission concluded that the measure would contribute to the expansion of solar photovoltaic and terrestrial wind energy in the Greek islands, as well as to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing oil and diesel plants, in line with the objectives of the European Green , without distorting competition.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ