The Environment and Energy Ministry is expected to soon launch procedures for a National Strategic Plan concerning energy sector objectives in 2030. The European Commission’s recent winter package obligates all EU member states to present a national energy and climate plan within 2017.

Greece’s lignite sources, a fundamental energy source for the country, are expected to figure as a pivotal aspect of the national plan. The current energy crisis in Europe and its wider impact stands as a key reason behind the insistence on coal as a vital domestic energy source.

According to energypress, Greece’s energy ministry will soon assemble a working group that will be charged with preparing a proposal based on new conditions and needs. It will provide answers to fundamental questions concerning the country’s energy mix, required investments and needed infrastructure, based on EU directives and obligations.

Besides the gradual expansion of the role to be played by the renewable energy (RES) sector, the presentation’s other key obectives will be to achieve a balanced mix of technologies used for energy production; improve energy efficiency; and further diversify conventional energy sources through the development of oil and gas transmission and storage infrastructure, electricity interconnection projects and digital power meters that will help combat fluctuating energy supply stemming from renewable energy and decentralized sources.

Europe’s recently emerged and ongoing energy supply crisis, prompted by the temporary withdrawal of French nuclear power stations, has already made firm impact and served as a lesson that will be taken into account by Greece when preparing the National Strategic Plan, sources informed.

The same sources noted that lignite, as the fundamental domestic energy source, will need to keep playing a key role in Greece’s energy mix for many years to come. The transition to the post-lignite era will need to be made based on terms that ensure energy security for the country, the sources said.

Highlighting this point, the crisis of the past few days could not have been combated had it not been for the crucial contributions of the country’s lignite and hydropower units, operating at maximum levels, the sources stressed.