Greece is developing into a major entry point for American liquefied natural gas (LNG) destined for Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary and other European countries, Minister of Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou said Thursday at the Renewable and Storage Forum.
Papastavrou said that in 2019, Greece imported 6 to 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas for domestic consumption, while the figure has now reached 17 billion cubic meters, with 11 billion—mainly from American LNG—re-exported to neighboring countries. “Thus, our country is increasingly acquiring a leading role,” he said.
The minister noted that in two weeks, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright will visit Greece along with 20 ministers from Eastern and Central Europe, underscoring the country’s growing role in regional energy security.
On hydrocarbon exploration, Papastavrou said, “We cannot fail to explore what all the countries around us have explored, whether in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Ionian Sea. It is something that we owe to our homeland and will change many things in our lives, to the extent that there are commercially exploitable deposits.” The signing of a ministerial decision declaring a contractor for areas south of the Peloponnese and south of Crete is expected soon.
Discussing broader European energy developments, Papastavrou said that Europe’s move to disconnect from Russian gas is “one of the few points on which the US and the EU agree.” He added that energy independence and competitiveness are “interrelated concepts,” citing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ remarks at the European Council that “European competitiveness, without low energy prices, cannot exist.”
Regarding renewable energy, Papastavrou said that new spatial planning for renewable projects will apply to new ventures and those still in the initial licensing phase. “If a project has an environmental impact approval, it is safe,” he said, adding that the plan will set clear restrictions for photovoltaics and guidance for wind power development.
He also said efforts are under way to accelerate energy storage projects. “In the RES sector, there has been development without rules and strategy,” Papastavrou said. “It is difficult to set the rules now, but if we do not set them, we will not be able to move forward for the next two decades.”