RES project applications submitted to distribution network operator DEDDIE/HEDNO by small to medium-sized investors have dropped dramatically over the past year, following a surge in interest, subdued by lower tariffs offered for green energy, a rise in the cost of RES equipment purchases, as well the increased incidence of connection-term application rejections by the operator.

The biggest decrease in applications concerns the solar energy sector as the aforementioned factors only just make smaller-scale PV investments feasible and far less attractive prospects than in the past.

Applications submitted to DEDDIE/HEDNO concern RES projects that are to be connected to the low and medium-voltage networks and which have capacities of up to 8 MW.

It is the first time such a dip in solar project applications has occurred since a resurgence in investment interest early in 2018.

According to data provided by SPEF, Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers, for an energypress survey, 98 percent of RES project applications submitted to DEDDIE/HEDNO between 2018 and 2021 concerned solar energy systems, 78.2 percentage of these with capacities of up to 500 kW and 98.5 percent with capacities of up to 1 MW.