Solar power in Greece

Development of solar power in Greece started in 2006 and installations of photovoltaic systems skyrocketed since 2009 because of the appealing feed-in tariffs introduced and the corresponding regulations for domestic applications of rooftop solar PV. However, this mechanism overheated the market creating a big deficit of more than 500 million euros in the Greek "Operator of Electricity Market". Because that boom in the market couldn't be sustained, since August 2012, new regulations have been introduced including a temporary tax imposed to all operating photovoltaic power stations (residential applications excluded), licensing of new PV projects have been put on halt and the feed-in tariffs were drastically reduced.[1]

Further development of solar power has been proposed as a way of getting Greece out of debt. Greece has proposed the largest solar power plant to date anywhere in the world. With 3,000–10,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, Project Helios would be built in sections and in locations still to be determined.[2]

By April 2015, the total installed photovoltaic capacity in Greece had reached 2,442.6 MWp from which 350.5 MWp were installed on rooftops and the rest were ground mounted.[3] A big fraction of these installations, namely 987.2 MWp were installed in the period between January–September 2013 despite the unprecedented financial crisis.[4] Greece ranks 5th worldwide with regard to per capita installed PV capacity. It is expected that PV produced energy will cover up to 7% of the country's electricity demand in 2014.[5]

Solar power consists of two types. The cheapest in 2013 is photovoltaics (PV),[6] that is a variable renewable energy source. The second type of solar power, though, concentrated solar power (CSP), can efficiently provide 24-hour storage, making CSP dispatchable, and load following.[7]

Photovoltaic

Current

Greece's largest photovoltaic (PV) power plants[8][9]
Power Location Description Constructed
7+7 MW Naoussa Photovoltaic plants cluster 2013
4.3 MW Florina Florina industrial zone 2009
2 MW Volos Photovoltaic power plant Volos 2009
2 MW Thebes Photovoltaic power plant Thebes 2009
1.997 MW Koutsopodi 2009
1.99 MW Tripoli 2009
1.25 MW Pournari 2009
1 MW Iliopenditiki 2009
944 kW Pontoiraklia 2009
100 kW Kythnos 2009
60 kW Sifnos 1998
20 kW Tavros, ILPAP Building 2009
20 kW Ethel Station 2009
20 kW Maroussi, Eirini station 2009

Future

Greece's largest photovoltaic (PV) power plants[10][11]
Power Location Description Constructed
200–300 MW Kozani Park of Kozani –
50 MW Megalopoli Park of Megalopoli –
0.48 MW Crete Park of Atherinolakos –

Deployment in watts per capita

European PV growth in 'watts per capita' since 1992
  <0.1, n/a
  0.1-1
  1-10
  10-50
  50-100
  100-150
  150-200
  200-300
  300-450
Worldwide photovoltaic deployment in watts per capita by country

See also

References

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