Growing rapidly electricity generation through photovoltaics in Greece has now taken a leading position both in Europe and internationally. For example, 2023 saw 1.574 MW installed, bringing total capacity to almost 7.087 MW.
According to data from the Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Companies (SEF), 2023 alone, 1,11 billion euros were invested in new photovoltaic projects in Greece, with this growth accompanied by 15.730 full-time equivalent jobs.
Europe’s top spot
A sign of the impressive growth of photovoltaics is the fact that Greece ranked first in Europe last year in terms of the share of domestic electricity generation produced by photovoltaics. Its share was more than double the European average (8,6%) and more than triple the global average (5,4%). Hungary ranked second in Europe (18%), followed by Spain (17%).
Based on per capita generation in 2023, Greece ranked 3th, while the two countries with the highest figures were the Netherlands (1.086 KWh) and Spain (948 KWh).
In Greece, almost 1,6 GW of new photovoltaic capacity was connected to the grid. Of this new capacity, almost 250 MW came from net-metering systems, 20% of which were residential. At the same time, photovoltaics accounted for 74% of all new installed capacity from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in 2023, while the market for self-consumption systems more than doubled compared with the previous year, reaching almost 450 MW.
As the Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Companies notes, this is by far the most democratic electricity-generation technology, with more than 72.500 systems of all sizes installed across the country by the end of 2023, and that number is growing rapidly. It is also now the cheapest electricity-generation technology, with the cost of photovoltaic panels having fallen by 90% since 2009.
It is worth noting that before 2015 (when the net-metering program began), only a few self-generation projects were connected under the previous regulatory framework (e.g. the system at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and small systems in Piraeus Bank buildings). During 2023, among others, 1.795 small systems with batteries (12,66 MWh) were connected as part of the “Photovoltaics on the Roof” program.
Globally, the International Energy Agency reports that photovoltaics are the fastest-growing electricity-generation technology in history, and this is set to continue this year, with new installations expected to reach a new record. Around 400 GW of photovoltaics were installed in 2023. That means more than 1GW of new photovoltaic capacity was installed every day.
Environmental benefits
Thanks to photovoltaics, the release of 5,7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) was avoided in 2023. This is the amount CO2 released by 4,6 million new cars with internal combustion engines, each of which drives an average of 10.000 kilometers per year. The environmental benefit is equivalent to what we would achieve by planting 147,6 million coniferous trees or, equivalently, 90,1 million deciduous trees in urban areas and letting them grow for a decade.
Source: Ta Nea
Source: Ta Nea
