PARIS REINFORCE: The Delignitisation Roller Coaster in Greece: An Old Car and a Steep Slope Ahead

Lignite has been exploited for electricity generation in Greece since the early 1950s and has been a major socioeconomic growth driver for decades since. But, during the last decade, lignite production and use has been dropping in the country, even marking a sharp decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), lignite is to be completely phased out of the Greek energy system in the coming years. In particular, despite social challenges to further diffusing renewables in the country, the Greek government aspires to accelerate lignite phase-out, shutting down its lignite-fired power plants by 2023—except for the newest Ptolemaida V coal plant, to be decommissioned by 2028.

You may access the entire policy brief and read more here

10 May 2021

PARIS REINFORCE