The revised National Energy and Climate Plan (ESEP) was put up for public consultation until September 16, 2024.
As the Ministry of Environment and Energy states in its announcement, citizens, businesses and institutions of the country are invited to participate in the public, electronic consultation by submitting their proposals.
It is recalled in the announcement that the revised Plan has been drawn up, with a view to minimizing the cost of the energy transition, prioritizing the interventions that are the most mature and cheapest and will have the greatest benefit for the national economy. As a result of this, the goals set by the European Union will be achieved, and at the same time the energy costs for Greek citizens will be reduced.
The goals
As noted, having exceeded the goals set in the first ESEK in 2019, for the penetration of RES and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, our country is now setting more ambitious energy and climate goals. Among other things, the revised ESEK plan sets the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 58.6% by 2030, with the central objective for this period being the further “greening” of electricity generation, with Renewable Energy Sources covering almost 77% of electricity needs at the end of the decade and the simultaneous development of energy storage systems.
Specifically, the installed capacity of photovoltaics is projected to reach 13.5 GW, up from 5,430 GW in 2022, and of onshore wind to 8.9 GW, up from 4.7 GW. An additional 1.9 GW of wind capacity will come from new offshore wind farm technology, while the Plan envisages rapid development of energy storage over six years, with the installation of batteries and the implementation of pumped storage projects.
At the same time, the expansion of electrification is sought in the sectors where this is possible, such as light transport, with the aim that one in two new passenger vehicles will be electric within six years, while emphasis is placed on the development of the necessary charging infrastructure, as well as in some sectors of the industry. Finally, the upgrading of our building stock will continue, with the aim of upgrading around 400,000 homes by 2030.
As we now approach the end of the decade, as highlighted in the announcement, the updated plan focuses even further into the future, envisioning a radical transformation of our energy system by 2050. New technologies such as green hydrogen, biomethane, capture and CO2 storage and synthetic fuels are expected to contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors, while electrification, in combination with the full coverage of electricity needs from RES, will help the rapid reduction of emissions in transport and heating-cooling.
“The goal is to achieve climate neutrality in 2050”
On the occasion of the start of the public consultation, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Thodoros Skylakakis, said: “The revised National Energy and Climate Plan (ESEK), which we are putting up for public consultation, is a detailed, road map with specific energy and climate goals to achieve climate neutrality in 2050, with an initial milestone in 2030. The ambitious goals included in the Plan focus on protecting the environment and benefiting consumers, through the implementation of initiatives to reduce emissions, as well as and to reduce energy costs. We are waiting for the comments of the citizens and the agencies for the finalization of the ESEK, so that the intensive effort for the gradual achievement of the goals can take its turn.”
The Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Alexandra Sdoukou, emphasized: “The revised National Plan for Energy and Climate, taking into account the leaps we have made in the last 5 years in the energy transition of our country, reflects our planning that moves on three axes : reducing emissions, boosting economic growth and at the same time permanently reducing energy costs for consumers. In this context, the revised Plan was drawn up with the minimum cost for the intended result in mind. Through the consultation, citizens, institutions and businesses now have a say, and they will have the opportunity to express their own views, which we encourage and await with great interest.”
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