February 19, 2024 - Forced by the effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to keep using coal in some plants to generate electricity, Greece nonetheless has doubled the installed capacity of renewable energy plants.

They now account for 50 percent of electricity generation, while the target for 2030 is to reach 80 percent as Greece develops cross border connections to be an energy hub in Southeastern Europe.

Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy Alexandra Sdoukou highlighted the plans in her address at the ministerial Conference of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris.

She pointed to the strengthening of the electricity network for faster penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) as she lauded the IEA for pushing governments toward climate neutrality.

She also mentioned the importance of creating and developing new markets, such as offshore wind farms, the CO2 capture and underground storage ecosystem and green hydrogen production.

Despite being forced back to temporarily using coal to generate electricity, Greece in 2023 moved swiftly toward alternative energy sources, setting a record high in using wind, solar and hydroelectric output.

The results came from power grid operator ITPO with Greece seeking to become an exporter of green energy to northern European countries, said the Reuters news agency about the potential.

Power produced by renewables and hydroelectric plants accounted for 57 percent of Greece’s energy mix in 2023, an 8.5 percent annual rise from 2022, IPTO said in a statement. The rest came from gas, oil and coal.

After shutting most of the coal-fired power plants it had relied on for decades as part of a plan to phase out coal by 2026, Greece has more than doubled its output from renewables since 2014.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine roiled energy supplies and markets and led Greece to still use some coal plants to generate electricity, delaying plans to get away faster from fossil fuels.

Greece needs to invest about 30 billion euros ($32.51 billion) to boost green capacity, expand grids and install energy storage units to achieve its target for 44 percent of energy consumption to come from green energy by 2030 from 22 percent in 2021, according to a draft plan for climate and energy, the report said.

As part of a 10-year project worth 5 billion euros ($5.42 billion,) IPTO plans to expand the grid’s capacity to 29 gigawatt by 2030 from 18 gigawatt now, said Ceo Manos Manousakis.

Besides expanding links with other countries, such as Bulgaria, Greece has been promoting the construction of an undersea power link to Egypt and another one to reach Germany via the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia and Austria, it was also said.