PHOTO: A photovoltaic park in Kozani, Northern Greece.
By Nick Stamatakis
I was very happily surprised at the news a friend sent me this morning (you can read it below): Greece generated over 57% of its energy needs from renewables last year! If this is true (we can always doubt reporting from Greece), it’s quite remarkable if you think that only two years ago, in 2021, this number was only 29%… Greece is a blessed country in many ways, especially regarding energy.
Growing up in Piraeus in the 1960s, 1970s, and after, we all knew that the country was producing a certain amount of electricity through several hydroelectric plants, no more than 10% of its needs, I don’t think. But in the early 1970s, we were among the first to install a solar water heater on the roof of our two-floor house. This was mainly due to my dad being a plumber (among his many trades) and having just rebuilt our house (during the tremendous boom in the junta years). The solar water heater was the first technological “improvement” to be installed… Very much like the one you see here:
In the years after 1970, this miraculous device provided most homes in Greece with hot water… We should not be surprised that its first version was built in America, while in modern times, especially in Greece’s case, Israel was the source of innovation. But going from this simple water heater to the vast photo-voltaic parks that produce substantial energy today is truly remarkable. Wind power also came naturally to all of us: the Homeric word “ανεμόεσσα” is practically synonymous with Greece and denotes the Northeastern winds (“μελτέμια”) coming down from the Bosporus Straights and turning the Aegean into a sensational, breezy paradise in the summer, filled with foamy waves that gave it its second name: “White Sea”…
My view of wind power is rather negative the way it is applied today, as it creates more environmental problems than it solves. The Germans have already abandoned it a few years ago, and they were the biggest fans of it… As for solar, I have to admit that installing solar panels in my house a year ago was a good investment: we produce about 10% more energy than we consume in this medium-to-small-sized Long Island house. My experience in Greece in the 1970s made it easy to go solar.
Returning to Greece and its energy sources, the country is in front of a historic threshold as the vast oil and gas reserves seem ready to be exploited in the years ahead. This will be a fundamental turning point, as the European economies without cheap Russian energy are bound to suffer. Greece, having covered the majority of its needs with renewables, should have a multifaceted energy policy that avoids ideological blindsightedness.
There is no way for Greece to export, for example, solar energy to cover the needs of other European nations. Mainly because the best product the country sells is its natural beauty. Unfortunately, windmills and vast solar parks do not fit with “natural beauty.” And so, the country must also exploit the vast hydrocarbon deposits for exports and for developing specific industries (chemicals/fertilizers) that require cheap energy.
The real solution is always somewhere in the middle. Assuming, of course, that the corrupt political class will not sell out the country’s sovereign rights to facilitate the interests of others. Everybody should be welcome to do business with Greek oil and gas – including Turkey – assuming they respect Greece’s sovereign rights and its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
And finally, let me answer once more the thorniest of all questions in delineating EEZ with Turkey: Can Greece allow Turkey to have more EEZ than strict international law (Law of the Sea) allows, specifically south of Kastelorizo where the most difficult of all disputes concentrates? The answer is yes with one condition: The continuity of the EEZs of Greece and Cyprus – and, therefore, the unity of the two Hellenic states – will be respected. This unity and continuity between Greece and Cyprus (including Kastelorizo) is the top national security concern for Greece and Cyprus. The State Department’s half-educated bureaucrats, those who could not understand what Crimea meant to Russia and brought America to its knees with their stupidity, are likely to underestimate this, too… (We should be thankful that this unity between Greece and Cyprus is necessary for the survival of Israel – and so we are hoping the State Dept will do the right thing…) Greece should declare its 12-mile territorial water zone everywhere in the Aegean, allowing for corridors of free passage for navigation as the Laws of the Sea prescribes. Then, she should delineate her EEZ with Cyprus, inviting Turkey to draw together some marginal areas around Kastelorizo and allow her increased EEZ without breaking the unity and continuity between them.
Ferbuary 12, 2024, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
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POWER GRID OPERATOR ANNOUNCES RECORD-BREAKING MILESTONE THAT COULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF ENERGY: ‘[IT] WILL CONTRIBUTE … TO OUR COUNTRY’S ENERGY SECURITY’
“The initiatives we are taking for this purpose are bearing fruit, and this is reflected in the recent, extremely encouraging data.”
Greece appears to be well on its way to meeting its pollution-reduction goals after celebrating a major milestone in 2023.
As reported by Reuters, power grid operator IPTO announced that the Mediterranean country produced a record-breaking amount of its energy from clean sources, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric.
In fact, Greece generated an incredible 57% from a combination of renewables and hydroelectric plants, which use water to operate, more than doubling its energy from renewables since 2014.
According to the International Energy Agency, the country is planning to reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution it produces by 55% by 2030, making this news a significant step forward.
The transition to clean energy is also in line with recommendations by the U.N. Environment Programme, which has called for nations to phase out dirty energy, such as coal, oil, and gas, in order to limit the dangerous rise in global temperatures.
Globally, only 29% of electricity comes from renewables, per the U.N., while the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows the United States is below even that mark at roughly 21%.
According to Reuters, Greece now has its eyes on becoming an exporter of green energy and has been strengthening connections with other countries as part of the process. The IPTO also has a 10-year project in place to further expand the capacity of the clean-energy grid.
“We believe that [renewables] will contribute drastically to the green transition, to better electricity prices, and to our country’s energy security,” Thodoros Skylakakis, the minister of Environment and Energy, said in a statement published by the Greek City Times.
“The initiatives we are taking for this purpose are bearing fruit, and this is reflected in the recent, extremely encouraging data,” he added.
That’s great news. Hydroelectric power might not be as reliable in Greece, due to climate change, which might reduce the amount of rain it receives. Wind and solar should not be affected. And hopefully the gas and oil reserves will boost Greece’s bottom line and help pay off the debts incurred.
BTW, I’m happy to see that Helleniscope is not opposed to renewable energy, as most conservatives are.
We are for “Drill Baby Drill” – have no doubt Lambros… For as long as it necessary for humanity to pass to the next stage. I just read that Chinese scientists discovered a nuclear battery that produces energy indefinitely… But until humanity passes to the next stage we need “Drill Baby Drill” to survive and prosper… How will we produce food without fertilizers and how will we produce fertilizers without natural gas? To give one of many examples.
I agree. It would be hypocritical to be against petroleum or natural gas production, as long as we benefit from it.
There is patent of energy with the
consumption of water , but the super
corps did not let it to be used.
Yeah…it’s “great news” that they burned all those mountains…over the last 20-25 years, within a couple years of a forest fire, every burned ridge-top has been mysteriously lined with wind turbines that “mushroomed”, along with roads and high-power transmission pylons… so they could meet their “commitments” and “goals”
How much CO2 was produced after burning those forests in order to “conveniently” make “ground” for those “green” turbines? How many lives were lost? Was it really worth the investment?
Of course it wasn’t worth it. But in Greece – especially after the financial crisis – politicians are following orders…
Photovoltaics do not produce electricity at night.Neither windmills when there is little wind so they are unreliable.ALL these are very expensive and IMPORTED!
In Italy the photovoltaics are placed at 1.5 m height so crops can still be grown giving the farmers the ability to grow food. The photo of the photovoltaics in Kozani you show are too low to the ground and do not allow for growing crops something vital for feeding the Greeks.
Israel drilled and found natural gas three years ago which it sells to Jordan while Dendias four years ago assured ,as minister of State, Saudi Arabia that Greece will not drill off shore for natural gas!
Only a Greek navy stronger than Turkeys will protect Greek EEZ in the Eastern Aegean unless EU provides this protection to Greece.
I don’t think these fields in Kozani were useful for cultivating anything. They seem more like old lignite mines to me – but I may be wrong. If I can produce enough electricity to cover my needs from the rooftop of my house you can only imagine what can happen in Greece with so much sunshine throughout the year. Not to mention the next generation of solar panel or batteries…
Actually, Kozani is a “hotspot” for growing “Crocus”, a.k.a. producing very expensive safran… they call it “Kozani’s gold”…
https://safran.gr/el/
I know about crocus… we will have to find out more about the land used.
Mitsotakis last month admitted in Davos WEF that Greece paid 7 billion € last year to import extremely expensive natural gas instead of 1 billion € in 2022
And so did all the U.S and EU /Nato members populist! In New Jersey alone ,due to the embargo and Economic Sanctions on Russian Oil and Gas , as well as those on Iran , Venezuela, Syria , etc etc censored by the Crime Syndicates of the Republican and democratic parties and their ..mouth pieces on Fox News, and CNN… a family buying 900 gallons of oil is paying almost 3000 dollars more than the payed in 2022! The beneficiary of this is the Oil Barons of America , who have been condemned by EU MP’S for taking advantage of blowing up the Nordstream Pipeline, and blocking oil and gas from the most affordable source for decades …Russia! The war in the Ukraine …is the act of Criminal crime Syndicates of America whose clients are Banks, Energy , Drugs, Military contractors ,and Dictators lthruout the world ! What is hillarious, the perpetrator of these racketeering schemes is Anthony Blinkien, Victoria NUland, and of course Bart and EPi’s best friend Geoffrey Pyatt ! importantly , they have even now created a New Position in the State department for Pyatt to coordinate the cornering of the Oil and Gas market for their clients. he is and get this …”The Deputy Energy Resource Manager for the State Department ! Get over it and accept the fact , that we have been taken over by Organzied Crime families …The Republican and Demoratic Parties wjo compete for the Power and Money of the entire world to mnopolise the profits of their clients !