Self-production and energy communities: Why the Greek NECP is lagging behind

By June 2024, EU Member States are expected to submit their final revised National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) for 2030. Greece is among the 11 Member States that have received recommendations from the European Commission to include in the country’s NECP the specific targets for self-production, energy sharing and energy communities, supporting citizen participation in the energy transition.

With the occasion of the European Commission’s response to a letter from the Community Power Coalition, Ioanna Theodosiou, in her article entitled “Self-production – energy communities and NECP”, comments on the fact that the plan submitted in November 2023 does not include specific, quantitative and ambitious targets for self-production and energy communities, despite the growing interest of citizens.

Briefly presenting the good example of Spain and other countries, she explains why the NECP must ensure citizen participation in the energy transition.

Ioanna Theodosious presents the following suggestions:

  • Set specific, quantitative and ambitious targets for self-production and in particular self-production from energy communities.
  • Reserve sufficient electricity grid and adequate resources.
  • Ensure proper financial tools.
  • Integrate energy communities and self-production in policies for energy poverty, energy savings, energy storage, buildings and electric mobility.
  • Commit to a stable institutional framework.

The article was published in the print edition of “NAFTEMPORIKI” on Saturday 20 April 2024, and it is available in Greek at naftemporiki.gr.