The European Commission has cleared the new Greek support scheme for renewable electricity and high efficiency cogeneration, considering that the support scheme was in line with EU state aid rules and would help Greece to reduce CO2 emissions, without unduly distorting competition.
The scheme includes state support either through a feed-in tariff or through a price premium in line with the Commission's Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection and Energy. Support with a feed-in tariff will be limited to small installations and installations on non-interconnected islands. Installations with a capacity above 500 kW will receive a premium on top of the market price of electricity over a period of 20 to 25 years. The Commision's decision approves aid to larger installations - above 1 000 KW - for the year 2016. As of 1 January 2017, aid to larger installations will have to be granted through competitive tenders to reduce cost for taxpayers. Greece will organise a pilot tender for solar PV energy and will use competitive bidding processes for all aid granted to large installations as of 2017.
The Greek scheme will be financed through the renewables support levy currently in place in Greece. In order to avoid any discrimination against foreign renewable energy producers resulting from the financing mechanism, as of 2017 Greece will partially open up the renewables support scheme to foreign producers.
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