Offshore Wind Industry Seeks Expansion Beyond Greece’s Territorial Waters

Greece is taking its first steps towards developing offshore wind energy, aiming to install units totaling 1.9 GW by the early 2030s, which will gradually increase to 13 GW by 2050. These targets are outlined in the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which serves as Greece’s roadmap towards complete decarbonization of its economy. However, the wind energy sector is calling for the expansion of offshore installations beyond the country’s territorial waters, utilizing the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). According to Panagiotis Papastamatiou, General Manager of HELAPCO, this is a significant issue related to visual pollution, as parks further from the coast are more acceptable to the public. This would facilitate their development and benefit the country. Speaking at the 10th Energy Symposium, he emphasized that Greece cannot achieve its 2050 energy goal by staying within its 6 nautical miles of territorial waters. Therefore, planning should begin now for EEZ exploitation in designated zones and potential future EEZs. HELAPCO notes that the defined EEZ of the Ionian Sea is not suitable for offshore wind farms, but the corresponding one with Egypt offers promising areas regarding depth and wind potential. For instance, the area between Crete and Kasos in the Carpathian Sea has gained particular attention recently due to research on the interconnector with Cyprus and last summer’s Turkish reactions. The wind industry requests flexibility and an extension of 5-10% over the country’s sea surface in new areas outside the 6 nautical miles.