Wind Energy in Greece
2022 wind energy numbers
By the end of 2022, Greece’s total installed wind power capacity reached 4,681 MW [4], a 5.2% increase since the end of 2021.
Although the installed capacity in 2022 was below the 10-year average of 292 MW, 68 new wind turbines with an average nameplate capacity of 2.67 MW made up the 230 MW of new capacity installed in Greece. Aside from natural gas, wind energy remains the largest domestic energy source for the Greek electricity system, providing 20% of total demand. In addition to a 12.6% share from PV, as well as small shares from biomass and small hydro, the RES share in the Greek electricity mix exceeds 35.5%. This ranks Greece at number seven in global RES penetration of electricity demand. Furthermore, the annual electricity consumption in 2022 declined from that of 2021 by an estimated 4%.
To read more about the wind energy sector in Greece, please review their chapter in the 2022 Annual Report.
National Targets
The national target for renewable energy for 2030, as set in the National Plan for the Energy and the Climate [1], projects a 66% RES share in electricity production by 2030. To reach this target in time, an estimated total wind capacity of 7,000 MW is needed. Such a target requires an annual installation rate between 250-300 MW per year, which is comparable to the average rate of new installations achieved in the last three years. Strong political ambition to accelerate the transition to a 100% carbon-free electricity system has been expressed by EU countries. However, this has yet to be depicted into concrete new targets.
Progress & Operational Details
Greece’s total installed wind power capacity at the end of 2022 reached 4,681 MW [4]. The 230 MW of newly installed capacity constituted a 5.2% increase compared to the end of 2021. However, this level of deployment fell below the 10-year year average of 292 MW. During the year, wind and other non-dispatchable RES penetration to the electricity system performed well. The maximum 1-hour average wind energy penetration on the main electricity grid was 83.4%. Total non-dispatchable RES penetration was higher than 50% for 1.601 hours in 2022, almost doubling the 2021 figure of 851 hours. Notably, the total RES production exceeded the total demand for 31 hours for the first time, making Greece a net exporter of RES electricity.
National RDD Priorities and Budget
In Greece, R&D activities in wind energy are funded mainly through EU and national programs. A significant funding tool for applied research in Greece is the Program for Research, Technological Development and Innovation, “EREVNO”, which is co-funded by the Greek state and the European Regional Development Fund. The total budget of the entity for the period 2016-2023 is 510 million EUR (551 million USD).