BEWARE OF GREEKS BLOCKING SOLAR

Greek hunters take dim view of solar energy scheme
Ingrid Melander (w/Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Harry Papachristou and Andrew Dobbie), July 29, 2009 (Reuters)

SUMMARY
PPC Renewables wants to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant on a hillside adjacent to Megalopolis, Greece.

A group of local citizens who want the hillside to be reforested for small game hunting are blocking the project with legal objections.

Megalopolis currently gets its power from lignite coal. When it comes to air-fouling, lake and river fouling, human-environment fouling, greenhouse gas spew, it doesn’t get any worse than coal. And when it comes to coal, it doesn’t get any worse than lignite.

And when it comes to the sea-level raising threat of global climate change, few nations are more vulnerable than the mostly low-lying, semi-island nation of Greece.

Photoshopped rendition of the solar project. It doesn't really look like prime hunting terrain, does it? (click to enlarge)

Visitors to Megalopolis report the air burns the throat.

While there are greenhouse gas emissions (GhGs) generated in the manufacture of PV panels, the power generated in the first six months of a plant’s operation offsets them. All the power produced by a PV solar power plant after the first 6 months, therefore, is entirely emissions-free.

There are toxic byproducts in the manufacture of solar PV panels that are captured and responsibly disposed of. The toxic byproducts from burning coal are processed by human and animal lungs and by the plant and animal and human life that it kills and by the natural environment that it despoils.

Despite its mythological sun and winds, Greece is 18th among the 27-nation European Union in the amount of power it obtains from New Energy sources. Its GhGs are among the worst in Europe and, unlike many of the more progressive Western European countries that are building New Energy and bringing their emissions down, Greece’s GhGs are worsening.

Greece is awfully high up on the list for such a small country. (click to enlarge)

Locals report government bureaucracy and local opposition are the obstacles. In the past, it is said, obtaining a license for a New Energy power project, just a license, could take 3-to-4 years. But policies are improving. Greece now has a zoning law to facilitate New Energy projects, a feed-in tariff (FiT) to spur solar installations and it will soon have a streamlined process for obtaining a wind or hydroelectric project license. In addition, political leaders are studying the impacts of the FiT and making changes to improve it.

At 50 megawatts, the Megalopolis solar project would reportedly be one of the biggest PV power plants in the world. PPC estimates it will cost 200-to-250 million euros ($280-to-$349 million). PPC was granted its licenses 2 years ago but awaits a court ruling on the hunters' legal obstruction.

Megalopolis political leaders, including the Mayor, back the solar installation.

The hunters are deeply concerned that the solar installation will drive away the wildlife. They seem to be unaware that the coal mines and coal plants are driving away human life.

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COMMENTARY
Lignite coal is called brown coal because it is the earthiest, most impure form of coal. That is why, when it is burned, it spews a higher percentage and wider variety of poisons than any other kind of coal. Greece gets half its power from lignite.

Megalopolis is not only home to lignite mines, it is also home to power plants that generate power for Southern Greece. There are residences within 100 meters of the mines and power plants.

Though Greece has shown little inclination to build New Energy, it has built some wind capacity. There are 1,200 megawatts installed and more planned. Greece has no alternative but to build New Energy if it is to meet its EU obligation to move from obtaining 9% of its power from New Energy sources to 33% by 2020.

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There has been some citizen opposition to hydroelectric projects because the dams dramatically change the flow of rivers. There has also been some opposition to wind projects because some fail to see the elegance of the giant, slowly spinning wind mills. This is the first widely reported opposition to solar.

The new laws streamlining licensing and incentizing New Energy are strong indications of a shift in Greek attitudes toward New Energy. Some Greek leaders have awakened to Greece’s vulnerability to the sea level rise that is already taking place as a result of the changing climate. Some are perhaps uneasy with the New Energy capacity being developed by Italy to the west and Turkey to the east, Greece's eternal rivals. Others are beginning to see economic possibilities in New Energy.

With both a necessity and an inclination to start building New Energy gathering, big European players (Italy's Enel, France's EDF, Spain's Iberdola) and small independent power developers are hovering. Applications for New Energy projects worth 4 billion+ euros ($5.6 billion+) await approval from the Greek regulatory authority.

Clearly, opposition from recalcitrant locals remains. Those with vested interests in lignite mining and burning fail to see the economic benefits in New Energy. Perhaps they are also hunters.

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QUOTES
- Kostas Markopoulos, president, Hunters' Association of the Peloponnese: "Under no conditions will we accept sacrificing even one tree ... we are not bowing to these interests…A (solar) park here at such a large scale ... would be one large mirror that will drive away wildlife…This should be done in other areas, and they exist, that do not destroy the natural environment."
- Nikos Vassilakos, head, Greek/EU New Energy investors association: "In the past 15 years, Greece has been the sleeping giant of European renewables…Now something is moving, maybe at a slow pace but investors have learnt to be patient…It's an exciting moment," Vassilakos said. "Look at how big the untapped potential is."

Greece has some work to do on its GhGs. (click to enlarge)

- From Global Green’s most recent Global Solar Report Card: “In June 2006 the Greek government passed legislation to promote electricity generation from Renewable Energy Sources. The law created a distinct Feed-in Tariff for PV systems. These new rates created tremendous interest in PV investments; however, bureaucratic hurdles prevented the market from growing proportionately. A January 2009 revision to the law removed these hurdles, which should improve market take up.”
- Tassos Garis, chief executive, PPC Renewables: "Building photovoltaics there is going to be better for the environment than a few trees…"
- Panayiotis Bouras, Megalopolis Mayor, describing anti-solar project propaganda: "At first we heard things like the temperature will reach 60 degrees Celsius, dreadful things, nothing to do with reality…"
- Aggeliki, 77-year old resident of Megalopolis: "People work here (in the lignite plant), they earn their livelihood there ... what can we do?"