Greek energy ministry intends to halve the number of Greek marine areas planned to host offshore wind farms to five in total as a result of strong local reaction over the visual disturbance in Elounda, northeastern Crete, as well as other Cretan areas, including the Dionysades archipelago, off the north coast of Crete; Ierapetra, southeastern Crete; as well as at the Diapontia islands in the Ionian Sea, northwest of Corfu, energypress sources have informed.
Besides local reaction concerns, the energy ministry also appears to have acknowledged the original plan was overambitious.
The reshaped map’s five areas for offshore wind farm development will focus on: Atherinolakkos, a remote area southeast of Crete already hosting a power station operated by power utility PPC power station; Agious Apostolous, in southeastern Evia; the Gulf of Patras; Rhodes and Gyaros, an uninhabited Greek island in the northern Cyclades.
Should no further revisions be made, the marine areas off these five locations – along with two pilot projects representing a total capacity of 600 MW off Alexandroupoli, in the country’s northeast – will make up the country’s first phase of offshore wind farms.
A series of other areas, including Elounda and the Ionian Sea, are headed for deferral, from 2035 onwards.
An offshore wind farm capacity target of 1.9 GW has been set for 2030 in the National Energy and Climate Plan. Capacities at the reduced number of marine areas will need to be boosted if this target is to be met, energypress.eu reported.
