Climate & Energy

Domestic gas consumption in April (4.4 TWh) hit a 7-month low due to declines in all three sectors. Cumulatively for the first four months of 2026, total consumption remained at the same level as in 2025 (24.8 TWh), while consumption in networks reached a 4-year high (6.7 TWh). The primary source of imports for the 4-month period was LNG via Revythousa (17 TWh), despite a decline in April and the shutdown for maintenance of the Alexandroupolis FSRU. Exports saw a sharp decline in April (0.6 TWh). Compared to the other EU-27 member states for the first quarter of 2026, Greece

Emissions from electricity production rose in March 2026 to 1.28 million tons (+17% compared to February), with the carbon intensity standing at 222 g CO2/kWh (+10.6%) due to increased use of all three fossil fuels. For the first quarter of 2026, cumulative emissions were 3.96 million tons, down compared to 2025 (-24.7%) but higher than those of 2023 and 2024. There was a significant drop in emissions from oil (-44.7%) due to reduced production at thermal power plants in Crete.

In an article published on energygame.gr, Stavros Gennitsaris, Industrial Policy Associate at The Green Tank, highlights the potential of Green Public Procurement (GPP) as a lever for decarbonizing the cement industry.

In the first quarter of 2026, net exports (3.4 TWh) exceeded total exports for 2025 (3 TWh), thanks to high generation from renewables (5.9 TWh) and large hydro (2.5 TWh). However, gas and lignite saw an increase in March compared to February (+19.9% and +12.9%, respectively), resulting in higher average price on the wholesale market (€95/MWh, +21.3%). RES curtailments for the quarter totaled 410 GWh, double last year’s figure, while hours with zero or negative prices reached 240 (11% of the total hours for the quarter).

As part of Fortune Greece’s Earth Day 2026 special, Nikos Mantzaris, senior policy analyst & co-founder of The Green Tank, highlights that the environmental crisis is still reversible—but the window for action is rapidly closing.

The Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy has officially submitted Greece’s annual greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for 2024 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The data point to a concerning development in the country’s climate policy trajectory, as emissions are increasing rather than declining.

Gas consumption increased across all three sectors in March, reaching 6.6 TWh. Overall, for the first quarter of 2026, gas consumption in networks recorded a four-year high, while industrial gas consumption reached a five-year high. LNG ranked first in imports (4.7 TWh), but there was also a significant increase in imports via Sidirokastro (1.49 TWh, up 338% compared to February). Exports in March reached a three-year high (2.6 TWh), while for the first quarter of 2026, exports totaled 5.99 TWh, with Sidirokastro serving as the main export gateway (78%).

In the first two months of 2026, the power generation sector emitted 2.89 million tons, a 17.2% decrease compared to the same period in 2025, though higher than in 2024 and 2023. Gas-fired power plants were responsible for more than half of overall emissions (1.49 million tons), while the lignite plant of Ag. Dimitrios was the top polluter with 0.8 million tons. The carbon intensity of electricity production stood at 246.2 g CO2/kWh.

We are delighted to launch our very first newsletter! Every quarter, we will share with you our most important updates, activities, and analyses on energy and climate policy, nature protection, and the transition to a truly sustainable future.

In the first two months of 2026, net exports reached a record high (2,356 GWh), which is linked to the fourfold increase in hydroelectric generation compared to 2025, as well as the significant rise in renewable energy, despite very steep curtailments in February (208 GWh or 8.7% of total RES production). The increase in clean energy also played a decisive role in reducing generation from fossil gas to a 9-month low, resulting in the average price on the wholesale electricity market falling to €78.4/MWh (-27.9%).

Greece was a pioneer in the institutional development of energy communities, passing legislation as early as 2018, even before the relevant European Directive. However, in its early stages, the framework fell victim to exploitation by companies, and today, facing limited grid capacity, it remains at a standstill. Statements by Nikos Mantzaris, co-founder and lead policy analyst at The Green Tank, to Valia Bazou for topontiki.gr.

In February 2026, increased electricity production from wind and hydropower displaced significant amounts of fossil fuels. Compared to February 2025, renewable energy sources (wind and solar) grew by 20% (+300 GWh), while large hydropower plants produced five times more (+874 GWh). The combined increase of 1,174 GWh of clean energy led to a nearly equivalent reduction in fossil fuel use: fossil gas fell by 35% (-838 GWh) and lignite by 47% (-205 GWh).

Domestic gas consumption in February 2026 reached a three-month low (5.73 TWh). However, gas exports reached a three-year high of 1.88 TWh, due to an increase in exports from the Sidirokastro gateway. In the first two months of the year, LNG imports reached a historic high (10.2 TWh), while imports through Sidirokastro were 2.82 TWh, down 52.8% compared to the same period in 2025, marking a three-year low.

Nikos Mantzaris, senior policy analyst and co-founder of The Green Tank, spoke with Kalli Zarali on ERT3’s Synora on 27/02/2026, about electricity exports and power prices.