The renewable energy arm of Greek electricity utility Public Power Corporation (PPC), PPC Renewables has secured producer certificates from the country's Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) to build 1.9 GW solar power capacity in the lignite mining region of Western Macedonia.
Local media reports claim PPC Renewables applied for the permits a year back, that have now been approved by the RAE.
Some of these licenses may be used under its solar PV and wind power cooperation with Germany's RWE announced earlier this year. In March 2020, PPC Renewables entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RWE to carry out joint development of solar PV capacity in lignite mining regions of Greece. In September 2020, RWE representatives reportedly visited the lignite mining regions to take the talks further.
According to a report in Balkan Green Energy News, local media outlets suggest both PPC Renewables and RWE will aim to build a total of around 2 GW with RWE taking over some of the existing licensed projects to ensure its share of 1 GW.
In November 2020, PPC Renewables was said to be deliberating over choosing the winner to build a 50 MW solar PV project in Megalopolis it had tendered in August this year out of bids submitted by 8 contenders (see 8 Companies Offer To Build 50 MW Greek Solar Plant).
Greece aims to build 2 GW of solar PV plants on lignite fields through PPC in a bid to replace its lignite and coal power plants with renewables in the long run.
As per SolarPower Europe's recently released EU Market Outlook For Solar Power 2020-2024, Greece installed 200 MW solar PV capacity in 2019, and in 2020 it is expected to have added 500 MW. At the end of 2020, its cumulative installed solar power capacity is mentioned as 3.4 GW, but there are growth prospects that make the analysts expect 7.6 GW cumulative by 2024 in their medium scenario (see SolarPower Europe Says EU Added 18.7 GW Solar In 2020).