Greece and coal
{{#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
- PPC is reported to have decided to invest approximately €1.5 billion in a brand new lignite-fired plant.[6]
- A new unit is being constructed at Ptolemaida power station.
- Shenhua Group has agreed to upgrade lignite units.[7]
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 and 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"."Coal Regions in Transition Platform", European Commission, 4 June 2018</ref>
Solar
The government is tendering for more solar.[11]
Wind
The government is tendering for more wind.[11]
Articles and Resources
Sources
- ↑ Energy Information Administration, "PPC > Company profile > Activity Sectors > Mines", Public Power Corporation, undated, accessed May 2018.
- ↑ "Why Greece Has Been Slow To Embrace Clean Energy", NPR, 30 July 2017
- ↑ Jump up to: 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.
- ↑ Energy Information Administration, Greece: Electricity", Energy Information Administration website, approx 2006, accessed July 2008.
- ↑ Public Power postpones board meeting on units sale after worker occupation", Reuters, 3 May 2018
- ↑ Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 "Greece criticised for lacking modern energy plan to ditch coal", EURACTIV, 29 May 2018
- ↑ "Energy", Enterprise Greece, accessed June 2018
- ↑ "ClientEarth challenges Greece’s untouchable coal power permits", Client Earth, 14 Sept 2017.
- ↑ International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Greece: 2006 Review, 2006, page 135. (Pdf)
- ↑ "Cutting Europe’s lifelines to coal: Tracking subsidies in 10 countries", ODI, 2017
- ↑ Jump up to: 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Greece Kicks Off $3.6 Billion Program for Solar, Wind Projects", Bloomberg, 30 April 2018
Related SourceWatch articles
External Articles
- "South East Europe Electricity Roadmap - SEERMAP", Regional Centre for Energy Policy Research (REKK), accessed June 2018
- International Energy Agency, "Coal in Greece in 2005", International Energy Agency website, accessed July 2008.
- International Energy Agency, "Greece", International Energy Agency website, accessed July 2008.
- International Energy Agency, Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Greece: 2006 Review, 2006. (Pdf)
- U.S. Geological Survey, Europe and Central Eurasia 1995-2005
- European Environment Agency, European Pollutant Emission Register. (This has a list of power stations and their current emissions).
