Ministry working on RES support framework changes

The energy ministry is considering fusing two separate RES auction categories for solar energy producers of up to 1 MW and between 1 and 20 MW ahead of the year’s first auction to be staged by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy.

This revision, one of a series being considered for the country’s RES support framework, is intended to resolve various issues that troubled Greece’s two previous RES auctions, especially the most recent, whose session for large-scale solar projects needed to be postponed.

Certain revisions are believed to have been finalized while others are being further examined.

Overall, energy ministry officials are aiming for increased energy community investments, rationalization of tariff levels, as well as the adoption of a formula to boost the investment activity of small-to-medium scale investors, especially in the solar energy sub-sector, whose RES auctions appear to be dominated by a limited number of major players.

Revisions already finalized include a reduction of an existing 98 euros per MWh tariff for wind energy producers with capacities below 3 MW.

The energy ministry has formed a committee to examine issues concerning RES and high power cogeneration units. It is expected to deliver its findings around March.

Under Greece’s current RES market regulations, solar facilities with capacities of over 500 KW and wind energy facilities of over 3 MW are obligated to participate in RES auctions for their tariffs. All other RES groups are remunerated for their output through fixed tariffs.