2 billion resources for the decarbonisation of the islands
The green transition is a great opportunity for Greece to become an energy exporter and is directly linked to the energy security of our country, pointed out the Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakisspeaking today at the conference on “Energy Security and Green Development”, organized by the ministry.
Mr. Skylakakis underlined that the country has huge wind and solar potential and the best potential in the Eastern Mediterranean in terms of wind quality in the field of offshore wind, which he characterized as a national goal of great importance. As he said, offshore wind farms are the key to the parallel development of large transnational interconnections such as the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electrical interconnection, which is very close to being launched, as the cable has already been ordered, as well as the interconnection with Egypt, the which must be continued with a direct connection to N. Europe.
As the minister said, electrical interconnections and the development of green potential are one aspect of energy security, the second is the liquefied natural gas infrastructure, which ensures the supply of the country and neighboring countries with natural gas.
Mr. Skylakakis he also announced the activation of the Island Decarbonisation Fund, which is estimated to have resources of €2 billion from carbon allowances, which will accelerate the green transition of our islands.
At the same conference, US Ambassador George Tsunis he praised our country’s progress in the field of renewable sources, noting that the country is in the top ten of the EU, but also Greece’s assistance in supplying Balkan countries during the energy crisis. He also spoke of the failure of the European leadership to foresee the dangers of dependence on Russian natural gas.
Norwegian Ambassador Lajla Brandt Jakhelln said that while Norway is at the forefront of RES (renewable energy sources), at the same time it increased, at the request of Europe, the production of oil and natural gas after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
“We are facing a dilemma and energy security comes first. There are no easy solutions, we must proceed with the energy transition without shutting down hydrocarbon production,” he said. He also raised the need to take care of employment during the energy transition.
