Climate & Energy

Domestic gas consumption rose in July (5.6 TWh, +11.6) due to increased use in electricity generation. Cumulatively, consumption for the first 7 months of the year reached 40 TWh. LNG ranked first in imports (24.9 TWh), reaching a historic high. Gas exports (10.2 TWh) hit a 3-year high, with 83% going via Sidirokastro. Compared to the other EU-27 member states during the first half of 2026, Greece ranked 6th, reducing its gas consumption by 0.9% compared to 2025, while the EU-27 average was +1.12%.

Record low emissions for Greece’s electricity sector in the first half of 2026 (6.95 million tons), due to the interconnection of Crete. The sector’s carbon intensity was also at record low levels both in June 2026 (183.1 g CO2/kWh), and in the first half of 2026 (217.8 CO2/kWh) due to record production from renewables and large hydro, as well as reduced oil use in Crete. Despite the progress, Greece is off track to achieve its NECP commitments due to the maintenance of high fossil gas use.

In an article published in the GREEK ENERGY 2026 annual print edition of energypress.gr, Nikos Mantzaris, Senior Policy Analyst and Co-founder of The Green Tank, examines how growing geopolitical instability is reshaping Europe's energy policy.

In the first half of 2026, clean electricity generation (RES & large hydro) reached a record high of 18,791 GWh. It exceeded the production from the three fossil fuels combined by 5,709 GWh, despite the fact that 9.6% (1,601 GWh) of total RES generation was curtailed. From April -when they started operation- to June, batteries prevented only 2.2% of the curtailments, while they reduced gas production by just 0.6%. Fossil gas remained at high levels with 10,706 GWh and only 195 GWh lower production than the 2025 record, while net exports increased almost sevenfold compared to the first half of

Following the European Commission’s proposal to revise the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), Stavros Gennitsaris, Industrial Policy Associate at The Green Tank, explains in his energypress.gr article, “Revising the EU ETS: the choice is not between climate and competitiveness,” why maintaining a strong and credible EU ETS is not an obstacle to industrial competitiveness, but a prerequisite for it.

In this issue, we bring together the latest highlights from our work on energy, climate, nature and Just Transition. From Posidonia seagrass meadows and marine ecosystems to electricity prices, carbon emissions and fossil gas, and from power generation to buildings, transport and industry, we connect the different pieces of a transition that is moving forward—but not always at the same pace for everyone.

In a new article for energypress titled “An ‘X-ray’ of the marκet three months after the launch of operation of the first batteries”, Nikos Mantzaris, Lead Policy Analyst and Co-Founder of The Green Tank, analyses data from the first three months of battery storage operation (April–June 2026) and assesses their contribution to the electricity market.

In the first six months of 2026, domestic gas consumption reached 34.4 TWh, down slightly from the all-time high set in 2025. LNG ranked first in imports for the six-month period and reached a record high (22.07 TWh), while imports via Sidirokastro continue as usual, though the majority are re-exported (7.35 TWh, 47.5% of the six-month total).

The carbon intensity of electricity generation reached a historic low in May 2026 (200 g CO2/kWh), as it also did for 2026 as a whole (227 g CO2/kWh), thanks to record-breaking generation from renewables and hydropower during the first five months. Without the significant curtailments of renewables during this period (1.3 TWh), the average carbon intensity would have been 14.2% lower and below 200 g CO2/kWh. The Agios Dimitrios lignite-fired power plant emitted 0.11 million metric tons during its final month of operation and 1.58 million metric tons over the five-month period, remaining the top polluter.

Renewables ranked first in electricity generation and reached a 9-month high in May with 2,573 GWh, despite significant curtailments (418 GWh, or 14% of RES generation) and the comparatively higher absorption by the first batteries (9.5 GWh, accounting for just 2.2% of RES curtailments). In addition, there was an increase in production from fossil gas and lignite compared to the previous month, resulting in the average monthly price on the day-ahead market remaining the same as in April at 89 €/MWh. Cumulatively, the first five months of 2026 saw record levels for both RES generation (11,930 GWh) and RES curtailments

Recent commentary has suggested that Greece exports surplus renewable electricity to Bulgaria during the middle of the day, when solar PV output peaks and wholesale electricity prices are low, only for Bulgaria to store part of this electricity and sell it back to Greece at a higher price after sunset. While this narrative has gained…

In an article published by Chronos Kozanis, Nikos Mantzaris, Lead Policy Analyst and Co-founder of The Green Tank, examines Greece’s lignite exports to North Macedonia during the 2022–2026 period, shedding light on an aspect of the country’s lignite phase-out that has been at the center of public and parliamentary debate in recent years.

Domestic gas consumption rose in May (4.6 TWh), mainly due to electricity generation (+15.4% compared to April). LNG imports via Revythousa ranked first with 1.85 TWh. However, Russian gas via Sidirokastro followed closely behind with 1.78 TWh. In the first five months of 2026, domestic consumption was at similar levels to last year (29.35 TWh), while LNG imports reached a record high (18.9 TWh), and gas exports quadrupled compared to 2025 (8 TWh).

Emissions from electricity production reached a 12-month low in April 2026 (0.93 million tons) due to reduced use of fossil fuels, particularly oil (0.1 million tons). The average annual carbon intensity reached a new all-time low (233.4 g CO2/kWh). However, for the first four months, emissions totaled 4.9 million tons, with fossil gas accounting for 56.1%. Without RES curtailments during this period (885 GWh), carbon emissions would have been 12% lower.