The first round of RES auctions offering 100 MW for wind energy installations and 100 MW for photovoltaic installations is expected to take place in April, energypress has been informed. Separate auctions are being planned for these two RES technologies.
Two ministerial decisions needed to establish a new legal framework concerning RES installations and their related auction terms, including the number of rounds to be staged, are on the final stretch, according to energypress sources.
The Greek proposal on RES capacity installation auctions has been approved by the European Commission.
The plan will also include two neutral pilot auctions open to investors representing both wind and solar RES technologies.
The current plan covers a three-year period, from 2018 to 2020. An additional program will also be adopted based on a strategic energy plan expected in 2019 and looking forward all the way to 2030.
The current plan foresees one PV auction per year offering investors a total capacity of at least 100 MW. In other words, three PV auctions offering at least 300 MW should be expected between 2018 and 2020. The same goes for the wind energy sector.
As for the neutral pilot auctions to be open to both technologies, the plan includes one auction for the first half of 2019 and a second session in 2020. Investors will be offered a total of 200 MW at each session.
The plan also foresees auctions for non-mature projects, a category concerning wind energy installations in areas where capacity is available but RES production licenses have not been submitted. The submarine cable connection between Polypotamos (Evia island) and coastal Nea Makri (northeast of Athens), as well as the Cyclades interconnection represent two such cases. The auctions for non-mature projects are expected to offer a total capacity of approximately 300 MW.
Auctions are also being planned for strategic PV investments by major-scale enterprises. A capacity of at least 300 MW is expected to be offered for this category.
Auctions are not being planned for other RES sub-categories (biomass, biogas, small hydropower units) and thermal energy stations as the current level of investor interest is not strong enough.