Helleniq Energy, formerly named Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE), plans to fully cover the electricity needs of its Thessaloniki refinery with green energy through the development of a major-scale solar energy farm that will be directly linked to the refinery.

The solar energy farm is planned to be located in Thessaloniki’s wider area, facilitating its link with the refinery.

Helleniq Energy also intends to install standalone batteries for energy storage when the solar farm’s green energy is not instantly used by the refinery.

The use of hydrogen as a means of chemical storage of excess electricity generation is also being considered. In practice, this means megawatt-hours not consumed at the same time will be used to produce renewable hydrogen through electrolysis, which will later be used as fuel for electricity generation via fuel cells when there is no production from the solar energy facility, or when production to meet the refinery’s electricity needs is insufficient.

Helleniq Energy is determined to make its refineries energy-independent as electricity supply issues that have arisen over recent years have seriously impacted the energy group’s refineries.

The company is also considering installing a high performance heat and power cogeneration unit at its refinery in Elefsina, west of Athens, to fully cover this facility’s energy needs.