Greece plans to introduce new renewable energy sources this year

ATHENS, 29 Aug – PRIME. Greece is set to introduce 2 gigawatts of new renewable energy this year, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at a meeting with US Presidential Special Envoy for Climate Change John Kerry.

They discussed issues related to climate change and deepening cooperation between the two countries to address the climate crisis and achieve the goal of zero emissions by 2050, the report said.

The Prime Minister said that Greece is committed to this agenda and is rapidly introducing renewable energy into the energy mix. “We plan to add 2 gigawatts of renewable energy in 2022 alone. And in this regard, we are one of the leaders in Europe,” he said.

At the end of the first quarter, there were more than 17,000 green energy installations operating in the country, and their total installed capacity exceeded 8.6 gigawatts, according to the country’s government.

They also discussed preparations for organizing the international conference “Our Ocean” in 2024 in Greece.

“It will also be an opportunity for us to highlight the importance we attach to the protection of the very fragile marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean. I have a huge interest in this issue,” said Mitsotakis.

John Kerry, for his part, said that many people don’t realize the connection between the oceans and the climate crisis.

“Because 90% of warming occurs in the ocean, it has a huge impact on things like flooding, storm intensity and weather patterns,” he said.

It is noted that this conference was established in 2014 during Kerry’s tenure as US Secretary of State and has already mobilized more than 1,800 commitments worth more than $108 billion, including in the areas of climate change, sustainable fisheries, the “blue” economy, marine protected areas, maritime safety and pollution.

The meeting also emphasized that both countries are prioritizing the promotion of ambitious but feasible solutions for the energy transition of shipping, the press office said.

“Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the US initiatives to reduce the energy footprint of shipping and expressed his desire to make a significant contribution to the early adoption of global action under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO),” the message says.

Kerry is on a visit to Greece, the meeting was held at the residence of the government of the Maxim Palace, the press service of the prime minister said.