The Hellenic Wind Energy Association (ELETAEN) is urging immediate reforms to Greece’s renewable energy strategy, warning that the current overreliance on solar power threatens to destabilize the national electricity grid and hinder the country’s energy transition objectives.
ELETAEN leaders have outlined a comprehensive plan aimed at rebalancing the renewable energy mix by prioritizing wind power development through competitive mechanisms and temporarily halting approvals for new solar projects. As of the end of 2024, Greece had installed approximately 9,500 MW of solar capacity, while wind power stood at about 5,500 MW. Projections for 2025 indicate the gap will widen further, with an expected 3,000 MW of new solar capacity compared to a best-case scenario of only 900 MW for wind.
The association argues that this rapid solar expansion is placing increasing strain on the electricity system, causing issues such as rising curtailments, market disruptions including negative pricing during peak solar hours, and supply volatility after sunset when fossil fuel plants must compensate for the lost solar output.
To address these challenges, ELETAEN calls for a suspension of new network connection offers for solar projects to restore balance and protect grid stability during the energy transition. The association proposes revising national renewable energy targets to a 60% wind and 40% solar capacity split, reversing the current 60-40 solar-to-wind ratio outlined in Greece’s National Energy and Climate Plan.
As part of its strategy, ELETAEN supports the use of competitive auction schemes to provide operational support for selected wind projects. Framing this support as a revenue stabilization mechanism rather than a subsidy, the association emphasizes that Contracts for Difference (CfDs) would offer price predictability, reduce financing risks, and attract investment — ultimately lowering costs for consumers.
ELETAEN stresses that the goal is not to guarantee prices for all projects, but to provide targeted assistance that improves market efficiency. The group also highlights the importance of smarter network capacity allocation to enable wind power expansion without infrastructure bottlenecks caused by an oversaturated grid dominated by solar installations.
