In his article “Which energy model do we want?” Nikos Mantzaris calls on political parties to present clear positions and commitments on the country’s energy policy in view of the national elections.
In the midst of the energy crisis, the country’s significant performance in the energy transition of electricity production to renewable sources and the reduction of fossil gas consumption, as well as the growing interest of citizens in self-production have marked a radical breakthrough. Undoubtedly, these developments are accelerating the transition to an energy model based on renewable energy sources and the just and participatory use of energy resources.
However, the article points out that, as in the past, political decisions are contrary to and/or undermine this course, promoting a return to lignite or the use of fossil gas. Typical examples are the planning and operation of Ptolemaida 5 and the administrative permission to increase the operating hours of all PPC’s lignite units to levels approaching 100% of their capacity.
The article concludes that in order to bridge the gap between energy reality and policy, a socially just energy strategy is needed, which will be reflected in the new National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). This strategy should be based on energy savings and the deployment of renewable energy sources combined with supporting structures for energy storage and networks, as well as the strengthening of citizens’ and businesses’ initiatives. A key prerequisite is a clear policy proposal by all political parties.
The article titled “Which energy model do we want?” was published in the printed and online NAFTEMPORIKI on Friday April 28, 2023 and it is available at naftemporiki.gr (in Greek).
