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{{#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]

Contents

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 generation.[3] 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.[4]

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

Proposed Coal-Fired Power Stations

  • Agios Nikolaos Power Station in Beotia is proposed by Mytilineos and Endesa, which have formed a joint venture company named Endesa Hellas, to have an installed capacity of 600 megawatts; the estimated cost is 890 million euros. A securities analyst reported in May 2007 that the company had submitted an application for a power generation license.[6] In July 2007, Endesa Hellas reported that the company aimed to have the "clean coal" plant online by the first half of 2013. (It also flagged that plans for a "clean coal" plant of unstated capacity were under development for a location in Albania).[7]
  • Astakos Power Station in Etoloakarnania is a proposal by T-Power - a consortium of Edison and Hellenic Petroleum -- for a 600 megawatt project that Power in Europe describes as being in the "pre-proposal" stage.[8]

Legal Action

In September 2017 the permitting process was challenged.[9]

Coal Mining

The International Energy Agency lists the major Greek lignite mining operations in 2005 as being:[10]

  • 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.[11]

EU coal phase out

Like all EU members, Greece has a legally-binding clean energy target and is aiming for 18 percent of energy consumption to be from renewables by 2020.[12]

Solar

The government is tendering for more solar.[12]

Wind

The government is tendering for more wind.[12]

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. 3.0 3.1 Harold R. Newman, "The Mineral Industry of Greece", 2005 Minerals Yearbook, U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey, December 2007.
  4. Energy Information Administration, Greece: Electricity", Energy Information Administration website, approx 2006, accessed July 2008.
  5. Public Power postpones board meeting on units sale after worker occupation", Reuters, 3 May 2018
  6. "JV with Endesa provides great prospects in Greece and SE Europe", Beta Securities, May 10, 2007.
  7. Endesa Hellas, "ENDESA Hellas Board of Directors: Convenes to Decisions", Media Release, July 30, 2007.
  8. "PiE’s new power plant project tracker – April 2008", Power in Europe, Issue 523, April 7, 2008, page 24.
  9. "ClientEarth challenges Greece’s untouchable coal power permits", Client Earth, 14 Sept 2017.
  10. International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Greece: 2006 Review, 2006, page 135. (Pdf)
  11. "Cutting Europe’s lifelines to coal: Tracking subsidies in 10 countries", ODI, 2017
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 "Greece Kicks Off $3.6 Billion Program for Solar, Wind Projects", Bloomberg, 30 April 2018

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