One of Greece’s biggest renewable energy projects, a 154-MW complex comprising seven wind energy parks in the Kafireas area of the island Evia, slightly northeast of Athens, is approaching its launch.

Test runs are expected to be staged in September while the facility should be ready to operate commercially by the end of the year, sources informed.

The project, developed by the Greek subsidiary of Italy’s Enel, will make the company one of Greece’s biggest RES firms, highlighting its determination for a strong Greek market presence.

The company’s Greek portfolio will grow to a total capacity of 461 MW – solar, wind and hydropower units – once the Evia project is launched.

The company has had to endure a long adventure for this RES project to reach the final stretch. Greek authorities first issued a project license to the Enel subsidiary back in 2003 but the company needed to persevere a further 12 years of bureaucracy to secure further approvals and additional permits before it could begin construction.

The Enel subsidiary ended up starting the project’s construction in June, 2017. However, heated reaction by local residents and subsequent legal cases filed by them to the Council of State, Greece’s Supreme Administrative Court, prompted further delays.

The legal action was rejected in January, 2018, enabling the project’s completion.

The need to simplify local RES licensing procedures has once again emerged of late.