energy efficiency

NECP adjusted to meet loftier EU aim for energy usage drop

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The Greek government has adjusted its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), setting a loftier energy consumption reduction goal that aligns the plan with an even more ambitious EU target just set.

Greece has now set a loftier 8 percent energy consumption reduction goal, compared to 2020, by the end of the decade, while the EU, through a provisional agreement reached by the European Council Presidency and Members of the European Parliament, is aiming for an overall 11.7 percent drop by 2030, compared to 2020, above the target of a 9 percent reduction that was set in 2021.

The 11.7 percent reduction goal, at EU level, is a binding target and means EU consumers will need to limit annual energy usage to the equivalent of 763 million tons of oil by the end of this decade.

The EU reduction target is not proportionally shared by member states but, instead, takes into account their capacity to limit respective consumption, a realistic approach offering a certain degree of flexibility.

Greek authorities intend to intensify the country’s energy-efficiency drive concerning buildings, further promote smart management of energy consumption, and maintain efforts aiming to reshape consumer behavior for an overall reduction of energy demand.

Extra 10% in support funds for RES, smart networks, efficiency

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Investors seeking to develop energy-related projects in the wind, solar, smart network and energy-efficiency fields will be entitled to bonus support funds of as much as 10 percent through the Just Transition Fund.

The European Commission has just approved 1.63 billion euros in support funds for Greece for the development of projects designed to ease the impact of energy and climate-change policies on local economies.

These areas include Megalopoli in the Peloponnese and northern Greece’s western Macedonia region, both lignite-dependent economies undergoing decarbonization, as well as the islands in the Aegean Sea’s north and south and Crete.

Private-sector projects in these areas, including hotels, agritourism units, wind and solar energy facilities, smart networks and energy-efficiency projects will all be entitled to extra support funds.

Government to introduce energy-saving rules, advice

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The government is preparing a package of energy-saving measures, in the form of compulsory restrictions at public buildings and advice for households and businesses, plus subsidies and incentives contributing to energy efficiency.

Air conditioning systems at public buildings and ministries will need to be set at a minimum level of 26 degrees Celsius in summer and not above 19 degrees in winter, according to the measures. Also, lighting restrictions will also be imposed for idle rooms at public buildings.

Similar measures had also been introduced for the 2004 Athens Olympics, to overcome serious grid instability and sufficiency concerns.

Households and businesses will be given a series of recommendations, all aimed at preventing energy wastage.

These recommendations will include lower driving speeds, more walking, bicycle usage, self-imposed establishment of car-free days, lower heating-system temperatures in winter, avoidance of electricity consumption during peak-demand hours, as well as no heating and lights in unused rooms.

The government is also preparing new energy-savings programs in the form of subsidies and incentives.

 

 

Brussels promoting energy savings, consumer support extension

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The European Commission is expected to present a plan tomorrow including proposals for energy savings, an end to Europe’s reliance on Russian energy sources, as well as support measures for consumers.

The consumer support measures could need to be extended for a longer period, stretching beyond June 30, 2022, according to the proposals.

A draft of the plan, obtained by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, notes that a reduction in energy demand as a result of a voluntary change in consumer habits, as well as through energy-efficiency fast-track measures, promises to lessen the shortage of Russian oil and gas should Moscow decide to disrupt supply to Europe.

For the short term, the Brussels proposals focus on cooling options concerning households as well as transportation choices, all voluntary. Reduced reliance on private vehicles, lower driving speeds, as well as avoidance of air-conditioning system usage in rooms not in use are among the proposals.

Emphasis is also placed on the use of solar energy at buildings, now more critical than ever before, the Brussels proposals note.

The European Commission’s proposals will be discussed at an EU summit on May 30 and 31 in an effort by leaders to reach common decisions.

 

 

Lignite extraction boosted as part of emergency plan

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Power utility PPC has boosted its lignite mining output by an additional 5,000 to 6,000 tons a day for its Meliti and Agios Dimitrios power stations in northern Greece and by an extra 7,000 to 8,000 tons a day for its Megalopoli power station in the Peloponnese, in response to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ call, early in April, for increased lignite reserves should Russia disrupt its natural gas supply to Europe.

The objective is to increase lignite extraction by 45 to 50 percent over a two-year period for reserves amounting to more than 15 million tons, up from the present quantity of 10.5 million tons, which would enable lignite-fired production to reach 6.5 TWh annually, up from 4.5 TWh projected in the current energy plan.

The majority of PPC’s seven lignite-fired power stations will need to be temporarily withdrawn if increased lignite quantities are to be accumulated at the yards of these power stations.

Of the country’s seven lignite-fired power stations, just one, Agios Dimitrios IV, is scheduled to operate today.

The additional 2 TWh of electricity generation that could be produced annually as a result of this initiative would still not suffice if Russia were to stop supplying natural gas to Europe.

Greece’s annual electricity consumption is estimated at 55 TWh. Last year, natural gas-fueled electricity generation covered 20 TWh of the country’s overall electricity demand, with 40 percent of the natural gas used supplied by Russia.

This means Russia’s natural gas was responsible for 8 TWh of Greece’s electricity generation last year. The Greek plan for an additional 2 TWh in generation through greater lignite production would only cover 25 percent of electricity currently produced using Russian natural gas.

Additional LNG shipments, accelerated development of RES projects, and an energy-saving policy for households, businesses and industry will also be needed to cover the gap.

Energy efficiency subsidy program details out today

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Guidelines and details for the latest edition of the Saving at Home subsidy program supporting energy efficiency upgrades of existing homes are expected to be announced today, ahead of a launch of the online platform by mid-December.

The latest edition, budgeted at 632 million euros, will offer subsidies covering as much as 75 percent of project costs.

The online platform’s launch date is expected to be announced today. Sources believe the platform will be opened for applications on December 15. The platform will remain open for 30 days from its date of launch.

The latest edition of the subsidy program will not offer different application deadlines based on geographical regions, as has been the case with previous editions.

In another change, priority will be given to applicants with greater need. The energy ministry, as part of a wider effort to counter energy poverty, has established a new and separate category to offer subsidies worth a total of 100 million euros to vulnerable households.

The new Saving at Home edition will also take into account the sharp price rise in building materials, increasing by 15 percent the subsidy program’s expense limits for a wide range of project materials.

 

Saving at Home energy efficiency subsidy applications from mid-November

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The latest edition of the Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of existing homes is expected to open for applications in mid-November.

The application period is planned to remain open to interested parties for one month. Unlike previous editions, for which applications were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, the new program’s prioritization will be based on a series of social and financial criteria.

Also, the energy ministry is considering to increase a project budget maximum for applicants to 200 euros per square meter from 180 euros per square meter as a result of recent price increases in building materials and equipment.

The latest Saving at Home edition is expected to provide energy sufficiency upgrade subsidies for a further 50,000 households throughout the country.

Applicants will need to own the properties to be upgraded and use them as their main homes. Applications will be limited to one person.

The energy efficiency upgrade subsidies will range from 40 to 75 percent of each project’s cost, depending on personal and family income criteria.

Criteria benefitting disabled persons, families with many children and single-parent families, as well as climate-related criteria for respective areas, have also been introduced for the new Saving at Home program.

Ministry working on Electra program for public building upgrades

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Besides its preparatory work for the next edition of the Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of homes, the energy ministry is also moving ahead with its Electra program, designed to subsidize upgrades of public buildings.

The Electra program, worth 500 million euros, will aim to provide energy savings totaling 230,000 MWh by 2025 as result of energy efficiency upgrades to public buildings.

Energy ministry officials aim to announce the Electra program’s details within the next two months so that interested eligible parties can begin preparing their applications.

Public office buildings, hospitals, medical clinics, schools and other education institutions, cultural centers, sport facilities, as well as care centers for the elderly, underprivileged and children will all be eligible for Electra program upgrade subsidies.

Buildings will need to be used at least eight months per year to be eligible for the program, according to one of the prerequisites expected to be set.

The Electra program will remain open for applicants until all its available funds have been absorbed.

Details imminent for October’s ‘Saving at Home’ subsidies

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The energy ministry is set, any day now, to announce the details of the next Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades ahead of its launch, planned for October, according to an announcement made by energy minister Kostas Skrekas late last month.

Once launched, the Saving at Home online platform will remain open for one month, the minister has informed, to give interested households sufficient time to submit all required supporting documents.

The ministry has set an objective for energy efficiency upgrades of 50,000 homes through the new program, a 38 percent increase compared to the previous cycle.

The new subsidy program, worth a total of 632 million euros, is expected to offer subsidies averaging 62 percent of energy efficiency project costs.

The annual objective for energy savings is expected to be exceeded by 108 percent.

A first-come, first-served criterion is being abandoned for this latest edition of the subsidy program. Instead, applications will be assessed based on energy-efficiency potential, income, and social criteria.

Priority will be given to low-income households, individuals with special needs, single-parent families, long-term unemployed, large families and households with increased energy needs.

The energy-saving potential of applications will be the most important criterion, representing a 50 percent coefficient in the overall assessment. Personal or family income levels will be the next most important factor, representing 15 percent of the overall assessment.

Energy poverty plan, worth €2.1bn, for affected households

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An energy ministry action plan for 2021 to 2030 intended to tackle energy poverty, includes funding programs worth a total of 2.1 billion euros that promise long-term support to vulnerable households by improving energy efficiency and promoting the use of RES options at homes.

The plan, forwarded for public consultation last Friday, is expected to benefit approximately 300,000 low-income households.

The plan envisions subsidies covering up to 80 percent of energy efficiency upgrades for affected households as well as RES system installations covering their energy needs.

The action plan’s section supporting energy efficiency upgrades will be combined with the existing Saving at Home program, now into its third edition.

In the EU, households are deemed to be below the energy poverty line if their energy costs needed to maintain an adequate level of warmth exceed 10 percent of income.

 

 

Details of new energy efficiency subsidies plan published this week

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The energy ministry’s plan for the latest edition of the “Saving at Home – Becoming Autonomous” program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades is expected to be published by the end of this week, possibly tomorrow, ahead of it launch, not expected before October.

The new subsidy program, worth a total of 632 million euros, is expected to offer subsidies averaging 62 percent of the respective total cost of energy efficiency projects.

This week’s announcement of the plan will give interested parties time to study the subsidy program’s details and prepare supporting documents for their applications.

A first-come, first-served criterion is being abandoned for this latest edition of the subsidy program. Instead, applications will be assessed based on energy-efficiency potential, income, and social criteria.

Priority will be given to low-income households, individuals with special needs, single-parent families, long-term unemployed, large families and households with increased energy needs.

The energy-saving potential of applications will be the most important criterion, serving as a 50 percent coefficient in the overall assessment. Personal or family income levels will be the next most important factor, representing 15 percent of the overall assessment.

New energy efficiency subsidies exclude PVs, vehicle rechargers

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The latest edition of the “Saving at Home – Becoming Autonomous” program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades, expected to be announced on Thursday by the energy and environment ministry, will focus on domestic energy efficiency upgrades and not offer subsidy support for domestic installations of photovoltaic systems and electric vehicle recharging units.

Applicants with income levels below the poverty line, deemed, by the ministry, as personal incomes of up to 5,000 euros per annum and family incomes of up to 12,000 euros per annum, will be given priority.

Also, low-income applicants will be entitled to greater subsidy amounts representing 65 percent of efficiency upgrade expenses.

The new subsidy program, planned to be launched in September, is expected to be worth 500 million euros. Successful applicants will each be entitled to subsidy support of up to 50,000 euros, unchanged from the program’s previous edition.

Applications will not be processed on a first-come, first-served basis but, instead, priority will be determined by a combination of the following factors: applicant income level and number of people living in each household; age of building; and regional climate conditions.

Applicants who present plans promising to maximize energy efficiency levels with lower investment amounts will also be given priority.

 

New low-end income category for energy efficiency upgrade subsidies

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The energy ministry plans to add a sixth income bracket, covering low-income earners, to a latest and forthcoming edition of a Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of homes.

The additional category, promising to offer greater subsidy amounts for low-income earners, will apply for individuals with annual income levels of up to 5,000 euros and families with total annual income of up to 12,000 euros.

Applicants belonging to this category will be entitled to subsidies covering up to 65 percent of energy efficiency upgrade costs at homes.

According to sources, a project-cost maximum of 50,000 euros will be applied.

The latest edition of the Saving at Home, close to being finalized, is set for pre-announcement in preparation for the subsidy platform’s September launch.

Details imminent for next energy-efficiency subsidies offer

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The latest edition of the Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of homes is just about ready. Its details will most likely be announced next week by energy minister Kostas Skrekas in preparation for a launch of the applications platform in September, sources have informed.

The new edition will aim for energy efficiency upgrades of 50,000 homes and investments totaling one billion euros, the energy ministry’s secretary-general Alexandra Sdoukou informed during a speech at a recent TEE (Technical Chamber of Greece) event.

As has previously applied, applicants will need to submit plans upgrading the energy-efficiency ratings of their homes by three levels, determined by a points system, in order to qualify for subsidy support.

A revised appraisal system will be introduced. It will factor in the degree of energy savings promised by respective home upgrades as well as a points system with factors such as regional climate conditions; existing energy-efficiency ratings of buildings; age of buildings; as well as income levels of applicants combined with social criteria such as unemployment records, disabilities and single-parent family status.

PPC to offer energy efficiency services following rival moves

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The board at power utility PPC, which has lined up a shareholders’ meeting for June 4, will propose company statute revisions including one to facilitate the company’s entry into energy efficiency services, following dynamic moves into this sector by rival suppliers.

The board will propose to shareholders a corporate statute addition concerning the purpose of its operation and activity, covering: “Trade, supply, sale, various related products and equipment, as well as the provision of products and services for the design, implementation, installation, management and financing of energy production, heating, cooling and energy efficiency systems in buildings and facilities “.

According to sources, PPC has already begun planning its move into energy efficiency services, through which consumers will be able to install roof-mounted solar panels at homes combined with net metering. PPC also plans to provide specialized, digital solutions for enterprises and facilities to limit their energy consumption levels.

In other company developments, PPC has decided to maintain two board posts, on its eleven-member board, for worker representatives.

Legislative priority for energy storage, offshore wind farms

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Legislative action will soon be taken by the energy ministry for the RES sector and energy storage systems, as well as offshore wind farm development, the key pillars of the country’s energy transition plan, energy minister Kostas Skrekas has told an online event staged by research and policy institute diaNEOsis on “The Energy Sector in Greece and the Climate Crisis”.

“We are preparing an institutional framework for energy storage. RES units cannot operate without storage,” the minister told the event, referring, once again, to a plan for power purchase agreements (PPAs) between industrial enterprises and RES producers.

An institutional framework for offshore wind farms, the energy transition’s second main component, is also being prepared to cover spatial matters and utilization of sea areas as an energy source, Skrekas noted.

Energy efficiency project support programs worth between 4 and 4.5 billion euros are planned to be offered over the next few years for building upgrades, the minister also told the event.

Commenting on electromobility, Skrekas praised the success of recent incentives offered for electric vehicle purchases, noting that 10 percent of new vehicle registrations in 2021 concern electric and hybrid models.

Crete-Athens grid link omitted from Greek RRF proposal

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A grid interconnection to link Crete with Athens has been omitted from a national plan containing 112 projects for which financial support will be sought through the European Commission’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.

It was the energy sector’s only surprise omission from the government’s plan for RRF support, to be submitted to Greek Parliament within the next few days for ratification before being forwarded to the European Commission.

Even so, progress of the Crete-Athens grid interconnection project, vital for Crete’s energy sufficiency without reliance on high-cost local power stations, will not be affected by the decision as a number of other financing options remain available, authorities have stressed.

These include the National Strategic Reference Framework and the Just Transition Fund.

The national RRF plan was discussed at a cabinet meeting yesterday ahead of its presentation, planned for tomorrow.

A proposal for a 200 million-euro injection into the RES special account, facing deficit territory, has been included in the national plan.

Other key features of the plans are: the country’s energy efficiency upgrade program for homes, businesses and public buildings; the decarbonization plan; installation of smart meters; upgrade and undergrounding of transmission lines; as well as development of electric vehicle recharging infrastructure.

Ministry approves strategy for emission-free buildings by 2050

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The energy ministry has approved a report detailing a long-term strategy for the renovation of public and private buildings into carbon emission-free units of elevated energy efficiency by 2050.

The aim is to transform existing buildings into units of virtually-zero energy consumption, the report noted.

Given the fact that buildings currently represent almost 40 percent of overall energy consumption, a large-scale upgrade of existing buildings and construction of new eco-friendly buildings requiring minimal energy consumption is deemed necessary.

This prospect would offer tremendous energy consumption and cost savings for dwellers and users while also improving living standards in terms of comfort, security and health, the report notes.

Energy efficiency upgrade measures concerning 2020 to 2030 are already being implemented through the National Energy and Climate Plan, aiming for upgrades of 12 to 15 percent of buildings over this ten-year period.

However, more ambitious measures, including stricter exterior surface insulation standards for new buildings and a greater number of upgrades at existing buildings will be needed for close-to-zero carbon emissions in this sector by 2050, according to the report.

Energy consumption at buildings will need to fall 8 percent by 2030, compared to 2015, and close to 40 percent by 2050, the report notes.

 

RES spatial plan to be delivered within 2021, Action Plan notes

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The completion of a RES sector spatial plan within the current year has been included in an energy ministry Action Plan for 2021, just published along with the respective action plans of all other ministries.

The energy ministry’s action plan lists interventions planned for 2021 in nine areas under its authority, including energy-sector privatizations, energy market reforms, support for decarbonization and recycling, adoption of circular economic principles, greenhouse gas emission reduction, the tackling of climate change effects, as well as green energy transition.

RES sector measures this year will help cut down the time needed by new RES projects for licensing procedures to two years, the ministry anticipates in its action plan.

It also expects the installation, by the end of the year, of at least 2,000 recharging units for electric vehicles in public areas, including along highways, and at private properties, including domestic and commercial.

On the privatization front, the energy ministry expects all seven energy privatization plans to have been completed or reached an advanced stage by the end of the year.

On energy market reforms, the adoption of a remuneration mechanism for grid sufficiency, to replace a transitional mechanism remunerating flexibility, is a standout feature.

The energy ministry also intends to adopt, as Greek law, an EU directive promoting energy storage and demand response systems.

The ministry’s action plan also anticipates the signing of agreements this year for distribution network development and RES penetration support. It also expects DEDDIE/HEDNO, the distribution network operator, to announce a tender for the installation of smart power meters within the current year.

Taking into account plans by DEDDIE/HEDNO and power grid operator IPTO, the ministry expects investments in distribution and transmission networks to reach one billion euros this year.

Investments for gas network upgrades and expansion are expected to reach at least 300 million euros, primarily driven by projects planned by gas distributor DEDA, covering all areas around the country except for the wider Athens, Thessaloniki and Thessaly areas.

On international projects, the action plan notes that a Greek-Bulgarian gas pipeline project, the IGB, promising to significantly diversify Greece’s gas sources, will be completed by the end of 2021.

A latest edition of the Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of properties, budgeted at one billion euros, will stimulate work on 80,000 buildings in 2021, according the energy ministry’s action plan.

This activity will contribute to a National Energy and Climate Plan objective for an improvement, by 2030, of energy efficiency at buildings by 38 percent, reducing energy consumption to levels below those registered in 2007, the action plan notes.

 

New ‘Saving at Home’ plan to be based on heating subsidies model

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A latest edition of the Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades of households, expected to be announced towards the end of this coming summer, will be revised to feature climate and income criteria, reflecting a system already used to determine heating cost subsidy levels.

A chart previously prepared by the National Meteorological Service (EMY) to determine heating subsidy allocations will now also be adopted for the energy ministry’s latest Saving at Home program, sources informed.

The existing EMY model will be tweaked to better suit the Saving at Home program, taking into account both heating and cooling needs of individual households. Income criteria will also be taken into account, prioritizing lower-income households. Applicants with plans for energy efficiency upgrades of higher degree are also expected to benefit.

The EMY chart divides the country into 200,000 plots, offering respective details on average temperature levels and number of hours of heating needed in a day by households. A point system determines the level of heating subsidies entitled by each area.

The Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) will also contribute to the energy ministry’s effort for the next Saving at Home program.

Saving at Home subsidy platform revisions made for broader access

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The Saving at Home subsidy program supporting energy efficiency upgrades of properties was relaunched today after being suspended for technical improvements to its online platform accepting applications.

Technical interventions were made to rectify a severe imbalance in the processing of bids that benefited larger-scale professionals of the building industry, such as big civil engineering firms using specialized software for swifter access to the platform.

Individuals and smaller firms, as a consequence, were blocked from the system, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis until subsidy funds allocated to specific regions around Greece are exhausted.

Interested parties now have a five-minute time limit to fill in application details and lodge their bids from the moment they enter the system. This time restriction will secure fairer play by offering broader access to the platform, energy ministry officials explained.

Revisions were also made to simplify application procedures for subsidy bids concerning apartment blocks. Subsequently, applicants belonging to this category do not need to provide bank account details until a latter date.

Today’s platform relaunch began with subsidy applications for the east Macedonia and Thrace region.

The online platform opens for west Macedonia residents on January 27, property owners in central Macedonia can submit applications as of January 29, while interested parties in Thessaly can lodge bids as of February 1. The category for apartment blocks opens February 3 for the entire country.

The platform’s opening time, 10am, remains unchanged.

Saving at Home subsidy platform restarting following improvements

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The Saving at Home subsidy program supporting energy efficiency upgrades of properties is set to be relaunched on January 25 after being suspended for two weeks to make technical improvements to its online platform accepting applications.

A severe imbalance in the processing of bids prompted the intervention.

Larger-scale professionals of the building industry, such as big civil engineering firms backed by specialized software, were able to achieve collective and swifter processing of their applications, blocking out, as a consequence, bids lodged by individuals or smaller professional firms.

Application deadlines for the remainder of regions around the country still not serviced have been deferred by two weeks.

Interested parties in the east Macedonia and Thrace region may lodge their subsidy applications as of January 25. The online platform opens for west Macedonia residents on January 27, property owners in central Macedonia can submit applications as of January 29, while interested parties in Thessaly can lodge bids as of February 1.

The category for apartment blocks opens February 3 for the entire country.

Swift action taken for Saving at Home subsidy platform issues

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The energy ministry is making technical improvements to an online platform accepting subsidy applications for energy efficiency upgrades of buildings following reports of a severe imbalance in the processing of bids.

‘Saving at Home’ subsidy program applications submitted by larger-scale professionals of the building industry, such as big civil engineering firms, are being processed collectively and making it through the system, blocking out, as a consequence, bids lodged by individuals or smaller professional firms.

Newly appointed energy minister Kostas Skrekas has ordered swift action for functional improvements of the platform after being notified of the imbalances by ministry officials and the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).

Also, the minister has decided to delay, by two weeks, the starting date of the platform for the remainder of regions around the country still not serviced.

Professionals want more time ahead of energy upgrade offer

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Civil engineers and architects, citing inevitable lockdown-related obstacles, are calling for a delay in the launch of the latest Saving at Home program subsidizing energy efficiency upgrades and energy independence system installations at existing properties.

The Technical Chamber of Greece, the official technical advisor of the Greek state, could offer an opinion today or tomorrow on whether a delayed launch is necessary.

The energy ministry has not ruled out new dates, in various regions, for the launch of the subsidy program’s platform.

At present, the program is scheduled to start on November 30 in Crete, the north Aegean and the south Aegean. A December 2 starting date has been set for east Macedonia and Thrace. The starting date for west Macedonia is December 4 start and December 7 for central Macedonia. The dates for all other regions are: Thessaly – December 9; Epirus, Ionian Islands – December 11; Wider Athens area – December 14; mainland Greece, Peloponnese – December 16; western Greece – December 18. A January 11, 2021 starting date has been set for apartment blocks.

 

Energy ministry seeks recovery fund support for many domains

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The energy ministry, seeking to ensure EU recovery-fund support for mature projects in key energy-related domains, has proposed their inclusion in a national plan whose first draft will be submitted by the government to the European Commission this month.

Greece is entitled to approximately 32 billion euros from the EU recovery fund, worth a total of 750 billion euros (390bn in subsidies and 360bn in loans) and established to counter the impact of the global pandemic.

Approximately 37 percent of the recovery funds will be used for green-energy development.

Energy efficiency upgrades of buildings; grid interconnections and RES initiatives, including energy storage; electromobility; nature protection; decarbonization; spatial planning for RES development; solid and liquid waste management; and smart power meter installations, a severely delayed project in Greece, are among the domains the energy ministry wants included in the national plan for EU recovery funds.

The energy ministry has previously sought support for some of these domains through the National Strategic Reference Framework.

A total of 130,000 efficiency upgrades of buildings have so far received subsidy support over a decade-long period through Greece’s Saving at Home program. The ministry is looking to significantly increase this rate to 60,000 upgrades per year through the recovery funds program.

Greece’s energy ministry will also seek recovery fund support for two major electricity interconnections – Crete’s major-scale interconnection,  to link the island’s grid with Athens; and the fourth phase of the Cyclades interconnection – both being developed by power grid operator IPTO.

 

First look at new ‘Saving at Home’ program imminent, launch long way off

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A first impression of the latest Saving at Home subsidy program, supporting energy efficiency upgrades of existing properties, is expected within the next few days, possibly by the end of this week.

The energy ministry is preparing to announce details on categories eligible for the subsidy program, sources said.

Even so, the finalized plan is still be a long way off, the sources added, as numerous details need to be resolved before the subsidy platform can be launched.

Roof-mounted PVs, energy storage systems, smart home systems and electric vehicle recharging facilities will be added to the new program.

It will offer energy efficiency upgrade subsidies of up to 85 percent and be made available to virtually all property owners as income-related criteria will be relaxed. For example, families with annual income totals of as much as 120,000 euros will be eligible.

Greater subsidy amounts will also be made available for applicants following an increase of a previous 25,000-euro upper limit to 50,000 euros.

In addition, home owners with more than one property will be able to submit multiple subsidy applications. In such cases, a subsidy limit of 100,000 euros is expected to be imposed.

The new subsidy package will also include bonus amounts of 10 percent as COVID-19 premiums.

 

EC calls for CO2 cuts; NECP revisions, RES boost ahead

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The European Commission has announced a new European Climate Law proposal for even more ambitious CO2 emission cuts in the EU, calling for reductions of 55 percent by 2030, instead of the present goal of 40 percent. If adopted, this proposal will prompt further revisions of National Energy and Climate Plans and RES installation increases by EU member states.

Compared to previous NECP objectives, RES facilities in most parts of the EU will need to increase by levels of between 20 and 30 percent by 2030, while energy consumption must drop further, between 15 and 20 percent, if the new Brussels proposal is adopted, reliable sources have informed.

Adoption of the proposal will require greater green-policy effort by member states and much bigger investments.

CO2 emissions produced by vehicles and buildings could be taxed, while more generous subsidy programs could be offered for energy efficiency upgrades.

In Greece, a 55 percent CO2 emissions cut by 2030 would require a further increase in RES installations so that a 19-GW target, by 2030, included in the country’s current NECP may be exceeded.

This more ambitious objective will enable the actualization of a greater number of possible projects on stand-by, currently representing a capacity of 76 GW. However, bigger investments for network reinforcement, increased interconnections and energy storage facility installations will be needed.

 

Electromobility, home energy efficiency upgrade subsidies in pipeline

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The environment, transport and finance ministries are scheduled to sign a joint ministerial decision tomorrow for a subsidy program supporting electromobility purchases.

Once the joint ministerial decision is published in the government gazette, interested parties will be able to proceed with electric vehicle purchases and apply for subsidies by lodging related invoice information onto an online platform as soon as it is launched, approximately in mid-August.

Tomorrow’s joint ministerial decision will provide the program’s full details, including the procedure and eligibility criteria.

The program is expected to be divided into three categories for private owners, taxi drivers and companies. 

The package will offer subsidies of up to 6,000 euros for electric car purchases by private owners, plus additional bonuses if these purchases are combined with withdrawals of old vehicles.

Taxi drivers will be offered subsidies of up to 8,000 euros plus 2,500 euros for compulsory withdrawals of old taxis.

Companies will be offered subsidies of 5,500 euros for each of up to three electric car purchases. 

Besides the electromobility subsidy support program, the energy ministry is also preparing an updated Saving at Home package for energy efficiency upgrades of existing buildings. An initial guide is expected to be released next week.

The new Saving at Home program will offer subsidies for RES generation and storage, electric vehicle recharging stations, as well as smart home energy management systems.

Plans submitted will need to promise property energy efficiency lifts by at least three categories in order to be eligible.

Previous Saving at Home subsidy programs were limited to casing, doors, windows and heating-cooling systems, including insulation.

Over €500m secured for new energy efficiency upgrades fund

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Greece has secured over 500 million euros for a third “Saving at Home” subsidy program promoting energy efficiency upgrades of homes. This amount will stem from a sum of 32 billion euros allotted to Greece through the EU’s new post-coronavirus recovery package, energypress sources have informed.

The new program, to offer generous incentives to medium and high-income earners, will be set an objective to annually upgrade 60,000 homes into smart homes. This target could be raised to 80,000 homes buildings, according to some sources.

Smart energy management systems, electric vehicle recharging units and roof-mounted solar modules are among the projects to be eligible for subsidized funding through the new third round of the Saving at Home program, to be officially announced within the next few days ahead of a September launch.

The third Saving at Home program is expected to be followed by a long series of new-generation programs to become available from 2021 over a three-year period as part of a national strategy, now being shaped, to be funded by Greece’s 32 billion-euro share of the EU post-coronavirus recovery package.

According to energy ministry estimates, annual sums of at least 750 million euros are expected to be injected into smart home upgrades between 2021 and 2023, project activity that should reach a sum of between 2 and 2.5 billion euros.