Difference between revisions of "Greece and coal"

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==Power Generation==
 
==Power Generation==
  
Approximately 75 percent of the country's electricity is sourced from thermal power stations, predominantly coal. According to the U.S. Geological Survey lignite accounted for approximately 65% of the fuel for the country’s power
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22% of electricity was generated from lignite in 2015.<ref name="WWF">[http://www.wwf.gr/images/pdfs/EnergyReportFinal.pdf LONG TERM PLAN FOR THE GREEK ENERGY SYSTEM], WWF, October 2017</ref>
generation.<ref name="U.S. Geological Survey 2005"/> Greece's electricity generation capacity has grown by 50% in the last decade and projections are for an additional 6,000 megawatts being required by 2015. The bulk of additional capacity is expected to come from gas-fired plants.<ref name="EIA Electricity">Energy Information Administration, [http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Greece/Electricity.html Greece: Electricity"], Energy Information Administration website, approx 2006, accessed July 2008.</ref>
 
  
 
PPC is attempting to sell 40% of its coal-fired capacity by 2019.<ref>[https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eurozone-greece-publicpower-meeting/public-power-postpones-board-meeting-on-units-sale-after-worker-occupation-idUKKBN1I419A Public Power postpones board meeting on units sale after worker occupation"], Reuters, 3 May 2018</ref>
 
PPC is attempting to sell 40% of its coal-fired capacity by 2019.<ref>[https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eurozone-greece-publicpower-meeting/public-power-postpones-board-meeting-on-units-sale-after-worker-occupation-idUKKBN1I419A Public Power postpones board meeting on units sale after worker occupation"], Reuters, 3 May 2018</ref>

Revision as of 13:27, 18 June 2018

{{#badges:CoalSwarm|Navbar-Greeceandcoal}} Greece is the second largest producer of lignite in the European Union after Germany, and most electricity is produced from lignite,[1] which supplies a third of Greece's energy.[2] The largest domestic coal producer is the government-owned Public Power Corporation (PPC), and hard coal is imported from South Africa, Russia, Venezuela, and Colombia.[3]

Power Generation

22% of electricity was generated from lignite in 2015.[4]

PPC is attempting to sell 40% of its coal-fired capacity by 2019.[5]

Proposed Coal-Fired Power Stations

Legal Action

In September 2017 the permitting process was challenged.[8]

Coal Mining

The International Energy Agency lists the major Greek lignite mining operations in 2005 as being:[9]

  • Ptolemais (PPC) Western Macedonia 46.08 million tonnes with 1280.7 million tonnes of reserves and a notional life of 28 years
  • Amyndaion (PPC) Western Macedonia 8.52 million tonnes with 165.3 million tonnes of reserves and a notional life of 19 years
  • Megalopolis (PPC) Peloponnese 14.44 million tonnes with 251.1 million tonnes of reserves and a notional life of 17 years
  • Florina (PPC) Western Macedonia 0.86 million tonnes with 138.4 million tonnes of reserves and a notional life of 161 years
  • Drama Eastern Macedonia 900,000 tonnes
  • Elassona (PPC) Central Greece 169,000 tonnes
  • Komnina (PPC) Western Macedonia 100 ,000 tonnes
  • Privately-owned mines Western Macedonia 2.02 million tonnes with 191 million tonnes of reserves and a notional life of 95 years.

Subsidies

In 2013 the government spent 150 million euros subsidizing coal.[10]

EU coal phase out

Like all EU members, Greece has a legally-binding clean energy target. Greece is aiming for 18 percent of energy consumption to be from renewables by 2020.[11] EU policy makers and electricity companies consider investing in coal not to make any business sense compared to investing in renewable energy in Greece.[6]

Western Macedonia is a "Coal Region in Transition".[12]

Solar

The government is tendering for more solar.[11]

Wind

The government is tendering for more wind.[11]

Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. Energy Information Administration, "PPC > Company profile > Activity Sectors > Mines", Public Power Corporation, undated, accessed May 2018.
  2. "Why Greece Has Been Slow To Embrace Clean Energy", NPR, 30 July 2017
  3. Harold R. Newman, "The Mineral Industry of Greece", 2005 Minerals Yearbook, U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey, December 2007.
  4. LONG TERM PLAN FOR THE GREEK ENERGY SYSTEM, WWF, October 2017
  5. Public Power postpones board meeting on units sale after worker occupation", Reuters, 3 May 2018
  6. Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 "Greece criticised for lacking modern energy plan to ditch coal", EURACTIV, 29 May 2018
  7. "Energy", Enterprise Greece, accessed June 2018
  8. "ClientEarth challenges Greece’s untouchable coal power permits", Client Earth, 14 Sept 2017.
  9. International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Greece: 2006 Review, 2006, page 135. (Pdf)
  10. "Cutting Europe’s lifelines to coal: Tracking subsidies in 10 countries", ODI, 2017
  11. Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Greece Kicks Off $3.6 Billion Program for Solar, Wind Projects", Bloomberg, 30 April 2018
  12. "Coal Regions in Transition Platform", European Commission, 4 June 2018

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