Renewable Energy Sources: the trajectory of Greece towards 2020

Abstract

The energy policy of the European Union towards 2020 has set mandatory targets for all member states, which aim at increasing the share of Renewable Energy (RE) in the energy production and consumption pattern. The focus of the present paper is on the exploration of the trajectory of Greece towards the fulfillment of 2020 mandatory targets. In this respect, it is presented the context of the EU renewable energy policy 2020, as well as its implications in Greece i.e. the mandatory targets 2020 set in the Greek context. Then the penetration of RE in the Greek energy system is discussed, presented by both technology used and region, while its potential is also studied through the comparison of data in two distinct time periods, namely December 2004 and December 2013. It follows the exploration of the perspective of Greece to reach the mandatory 2020 targets, carried out by means of studying historical data that relates to certain energy indicators (five indicators with data referring in the period 2000-2020), which reveals the need for intensifying efforts, especially in the light of the current economic recession, which can place barriers to the achievement of mandatory targets set.