Today’s IENE Colloquium to Focus on “The Critical Choices for RES Investments in Greece”

An IENE- organized Colloquium on “The Critical Choices for RES Investments in Greece” is taking place later today, April 4, 2013 (17.00 - 21.00), at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) (7, Akadimias Str., Athens). This IENE Colloquium, which is being held under the auspices of ACCI, focuses on the most urgent problems of market operation in the Greek RES sector. RES’s latest development and prospects will be examined under the light of EU strategy on RES and the energy efficiency targets for 2020, as well as the application of low carbon technologies.

The Colloquium will start with opening remarks by the Chairman of ACCI, Mr. Constantinos Michalos and Dr. John Desypris, Chairman of IENE.

The seminar’s keynote speakers will be Mr. Michalis E. Philippou, Operational Manager of Electricity Transactions of the Greek Electricity Market Operator (LAGIE S.A.), Prof. Pantelis Kapros, E3MLab/NTUA and Chairman of IENE's Scientific Committee and Mr. John Chatzivasiliadis, Mechanical – Electrical Engineer, and , IENE’s Secretary General. Moreover, representatives of the main associations of the RES sector will state their viewpoints on the urgent problems stemming from the enormous and rising deficit of the Electricity Market Operator. The speakers representing the RES associations are Mr. Savvas Seimanides (Secretary General, Greek Association of RES Electricity Producers), Dr. Panagiotis Papastamatiou, (Chairman, Hellenic Wind Energy Association - ELETAEN), Mr. Alexandros Zachariou (Chairman, Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Companies - SEF)

Mr. Stelios Loumakis (Chairman, Greek Association of Photovoltaic Producers - SPEF), Mr. Elias Kakiopoulos (Secretary General, Greek Association of Small Hydropower Producers - ESMYE), Mr. Antonis Gerasimou (Chairman, Hellenic Biomass Company - HELLABIOM). There will also be a presentation by Mr. Dim. Varvitsiotis (Chief Operation Officer, Solar Cells Hellas).

This IENE initiative aims primarily in providing a platform for discussion between the various market players and the regulatory officials. IENE’s Colloquium on the viability of RES investments comes at a vey crucial time for the energy market, as LAGIE’s ever growing financial deficit threatens the viability of Greece’s national energy system and the economy in general, as the deficit is transferred to the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and, consequently, to the final consumers. Ultimately, this situation leads to a deadlock threatening the viability of RES investments in the country, while, at the same time, a bulk of laws and bureaucratic obstacles hinder the further development of the sector during a very critical period when the government and the private sector are trying to restart the country’s economy.

Through this Colloquium IENE wishes to highlight the need for the adoption of urgent measures in order to restore the balance of the RES market and, thus, to guarantee the viability of the investments and the further development of the grid, as well as the safeguarding of the overall energy sector and its consumers from excessive charges. 

The IENE Colloquium on “The Critical Choices for RES Investments in Greece” is sponsored by the energy services company EnSCo, as well as by the PV companies Sky Solar and Solar Cells, whereas the event’s media partners include the daily “Kathimerini” and the Energia.gr website.