Interview of Nikos Mantzaris with Antonis Mavridis, journalist of ERT Kozani, regarding the resources of Greece’s Just Transition Development Program (PDAM), the conversion of Ptolemaida 5 until 2025, and the soundness or not of the choice to use fossil gas as the fuel for district heating in W. Macedonia.
On the occasion of the comments and recommendations of the Green Tank on the concept paper for the Just Transition Development Program (PDAM), Nikos Mantzaris answered the questions of Antonis Mavridis, journalist of ERT Kozani on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
He explained the reasons why PDAM resources need to be increased and suggested three specific ways in which this can be realized. He also considers positive the shift of PPC and the region in general to renewables, provided that it will be done in an organized fashion. This can in turn ensured through the development of a modern and adequate special spatial framework for renewables development in the country. He argued against the choice of fossil gas for the post-lignite future of Ptolemaida 5 and proposed the solution of converting the plant into a thermal storage facility storing electricity from renewables, based on the results of the new techno-economic analysis prepared by the Green Tank in collaboration with ClientEarth and energy consulting firm enervis. The analysis showed that this solution, in addition to being environmentally sustainable, is also economically competitive compared to fossil gas, or CCS or conversion to a biomass plant. Finally, he expressed skepticism about the soundness of the choice of fossil gas for the region’s district heating system and suggested a comparative analysis of this system with renewables-based heating systems.
You can listen to the whole interview (in Greek)
