Government policy for renewable energy sources is focused on facilitating their development and regards the RES sector as a key source of economic growth, deputy minister for environmental protection Giorgos Amyras has stressed, during a virtual meeting, to regional authorities around the country, who have raised obstacles of varying degree, frustrating government officials and renewable energy investors.

Though the resistance by regional and municipal authorities opposing RES development is widespread, it has been especially strong in northern Greece’s west Macedonia area.

Officials representing this region have not just responded negatively to environmental studies submitted by investors, but also called for the suspension of all renewable energy licensing procedures until a national spatial plan is completed, still at least two years away, and a legal framework enabling regional and municipal authorities to block RES investments in their respective regions is established.

RES investors have expressed their frustration to the energy ministry, which will be determined to appease players, already annoyed by the imposition of an extraordinary fee on existing RES units.

The ministry’s leadership will be desperate to eliminate this destabilizing factor that could potentially undermine the country’s investment climate.

Given the large number of licensing applications, investors have indicated they are prepared to inject sizeable capital amounts for RES projects, as long as they are not caught up in misadventures and bureaucratic delays.