Greece is turning former lignite regions into large-scale renewable power hubs. RWE and PPC have commissioned 930 MWp of solar capacity in Northern Greece through Meton Energy, a joint venture owned 51% by RWE and 49% by PPC. The projects are located in the former Amynteo open-cast lignite mine area and are expected to generate enough electricity to cover more than 400,000 households annually.
This is not only a renewable-energy story. It is an industrial land-use story. Former coal regions often have grid infrastructure, energy-sector workforces, transport access and political priority for transition support. By converting lignite land into solar generation, Greece is preserving the energy identity of these regions while changing the technology base. That is a more durable transition model than simply closing mines and leaving local economies to adjust on their own.
The additional 567 MWp being built by RWE and PPC in Central Macedonia deepens the strategy. PPC’s target of 19 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 shows that Greece’s dominant power utility is repositioning itself from a coal-heavy incumbent into a renewable infrastructure platform. This creates opportunities for EPC contractors, grid-equipment suppliers, storage providers and long-term offtakers.
The next challenge is price cannibalization. As more solar enters the Greek system, midday prices will face increasing pressure. Greece’s support-rule reform around zero and negative prices is therefore part of the same story. Utility-scale solar can transform former lignite regions, but it must be paired with storage, grid upgrades and market-rule adaptation to remain financially resilient.
