Greek Renewables Capacity Grows To Over 11 GW

At the end of June 2023, the total installed renewable energy capacity of Greece had grown to around 11.3 GW including close to 5.8 GW solar PV, according to the latest statistics released by the Renewable Energy Sources Operator and Guarantees of Origin (DAPEEP) that’s responsible for the renewable energy markets of the country’s National Interconnected System.  

Greece’s solar PV capacity includes 371 MW contributed by the residential segment. During H1/2023, it grew by 489 MW with the largest addition of 152 MW reported in the month of May.   

While solar PV accounts for the largest share among renewables—excluding large-scale hydro capacity—in the country, wind follows next with 4.8 GW, small hydropower plants with 281 MW, cogeneration with 255 MW and biomass with 131 MW.     

However, according to the EU Market Outlook for Solar Power 2022-2026 of SolarPower Europe (SPE), Greece had installed 5.46 GW of cumulative capacity by 2022-end, driven by growth in the utility-scale and residential self-consumption segments. Analysts believe the market to add 10.4 GW of new solar PV capacity between 2023 and 2026.   

Under its revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), Greece aims to raise the country’s overall renewable energy capacity to 28 GW by 2030, and to over 65 GW by 2050. Solar is to contribute 14.1 GW and 34.5 GW to the targets, respectively (see Greece Targets 34.5 GW Total PV Capacity By 2050).   

In May 2023, Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy opened a €238 million subsidy round for solar and storage systems to encourage self-consumption among households and farmers, under Photovoltaics on the Roof program (see Greece Launches Call For Rooftop Solar Subsidies).