The lofty challenges of Greece’s revised National Energy and Climate Plan, delivered to the European Commission yesterday following its endorsement late last week by KYSOIP, the Government Council for Economic Policy, will be met, the government’s energy deputy has stressed.

“The preparation of the plan has been done and the challenge of achieving the ambitious goals it envisages stands before us,” noted Deputy Energy Minister Gerassimos Thomas. “We are ready to respond to this challenge and contribute to the extent needed for us to achieve European objectives for a major reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and their elimination by 2050,” he added.

New aspects related to matters including spatial, bioclimatic and urban planning, were incorporated to the finalized NECP version following 168 comments submitted to the OpenGov.gr website during public consultation as well as proposals and observations submitted to the energy ministry, it announced in a statement.

The NECP, establishing decarbonization as a top priority, includes a detailed schedule on the planned withdrawal of power utility PPC’s lignite-fired power stations. All existing lignite units are planned to be withdrawn by 2023.

In its renewable energy section, the NECP highlights the significant role to be played by hydropower energy and, especially, projects with reservoirs, as well as the importance of implementing pilot projects that will lead to RES sector coupling.