Photovoltaic systems, with or without energy storage batteries, will be installed with less bureaucracy in existing industrial, commercial, office and other buildings, as well as in future artificial structures.
More specifically, solar systems, with the option of adding batteries, may be installed on their roofs, as well as on canopies, verandas, balconies, pergolas, façades and sunshades, without requiring a producer certificate from the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY), as is currently the case, and without following the environmental licensing procedure.
From now on, businesses will be able to contact the competent Operator directly to obtain a Final Connection Offer for connection to the electricity grid within three months. This is one of the provisions added following consultation on the omnibus bill of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, which was introduced in Parliament for debate and adoption.
The new provisions added also include changes to «green» projects that are being renovated. More specifically, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and High-Efficiency Cogeneration of Electricity and Heat (CHP) plants that proceed with a radical infrastructure upgrade from 31 October onward will have to operate within the market framework, that is, participate directly in the Energy Exchange.
In other words, they will lose the «feed-in tariff» (operating aid) they currently receive once they submit an application to renew their Producer Certificate or License to RAAEY, or an application for a new Final Connection Offer to the Operator. However, one minor issue remains unresolved. While a definition of a radical upgrade has been established for wind farms, there is no corresponding definition for photovoltaic plants.
Currently, the following applies to RES plants that are upgraded: if the additional energy produced by the «renovated» project is up to 5% above its maximum production during the first five years, the investor receives the set feed-in tariff, while the additional output is sold through the Energy Exchange.
Furthermore, photovoltaic plants that have either been commissioned after 4 July 2019 and by 31 October 2024, or are new plants that have received a Final Connection Offer, will be able to change their connection terms with the grid or system and add batteries through a fast-track process.
These plants will be able to inject energy from their storage units into the grid during evening hours and will be compensated based on electricity market prices. A provision added to the draft law proposes that the total capacity of photovoltaic plants adding a behind-the-meter battery must not exceed 600 MW, allocated as 300 MW for RES plants connected to the electricity distribution network (HEDNO) and 300 MW for those connected to the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System (IPTO).
Self-generation only with net billing
Regarding the new method of self-generating energy, known as net billing, from the end of October, when the bill is expected to have been passed and published in the Government Gazette, the competent Operators will issue Final Connection Offers or Connection Agreements for self-consumption exclusively through simultaneous and virtual simultaneous netting—that is, only net billing and virtual net billing.
The new provisions also propose that existing self-consumers who retain the right to net metering will lose it if they decide to give up the option of selling energy to the grid, so they can use all the electricity they generate for self-consumption and automatically switch to net billing or virtual net billing. The new provisions also promote priority for connecting net-billing systems to the HEDNO grid.
Refunds and reductions for guarantees, and small wind turbines
The new provisions stipulate that all RES plants—not only those on Non-Interconnected Islands, as provided for in the consultation draft—that have received a Final Connection Offer, as well as plants that have applied for connection terms and are awaiting a decision, will be able to reclaim the letters of guarantee they submitted, in exchange for discontinuing their licenses and freeing up physical and electrical capacity.
Other RES and Hybrid plant owners who wish to remain «in the game» and have submitted a letter of guarantee to the competent Operator will be able to replace it from 31 October 2024 and submit a new one, corresponding to 30% or 15% of the original, depending on the project category.
For small wind turbines up to 60 kW, the provisions define two categories (whereas the original draft had only one), stipulating that those below 30 meters will receive a high feed-in tariff of 157 euros/MWh, while larger ones will receive a lower tariff at 110 euros/MWh.
Source: ToVima
Source: ToVima
