What Greece’s Journey to 100% Renewable Energy Means for the Future of Energy Production

On Friday, October 7th, the entire electrical grid of Greece ran completely on renewable energy for about five hours. The Mediterranean nation of just over 10 million has a renewable grid mix of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. It was able to sustain 100% of the country’s electrical needs for a short period, highlighting the progress it has made in the alternative energy space. Experts point to a stark reduction in Greece’s reliance on Russian natural gas in the wake of the war in Ukraine, exemplifying a growing trend in European markets to reduce ties to Russian energy.  

The path to a renewable energy grid has been rocky for Greece. Famed for its mild climate with ample sun, Greece produced just 29 percent of its electricity from solar energy by 2019—the average across European Union countries was 34 percent that year. Investment in solar has exploded since then, culminating in the completion of massive solar farms across the nation, and the projected completion of 2-gigawatt capacity farms by 2030. One gigawatt has enough energy to power 750,000 homes.  

The Ministry of Environment and Energy has also implemented a program of providing solar panels for homes, increasing citizen participation in the renewables switch. Homeowners' interest in the program was unprecedented, forcing the government to shut down the application platform after receiving a flood of interest (the platform was later reopened once capacity was regained for the government to provide the panels again). These types of government-supported environmental policies are popular, and they have the potential to engage citizens of a country to take steps to make their home environments more climate-friendly.  

Greece also hit roadblocks with hydroelectric power. Two major hydroelectric dams were sidelined in 2009, left incomplete mid-construction. The reservoirs that the dams hoped to draw power from are highly susceptible to drought, and the arid climate of Greece lends itself to variable water levels year over year. This is unfortunately exacerbated by climate change, as rising temperatures can lead to further desertification of already dry climates. Hydroelectricity has since grown modestly, with additional stations planned to be added in the coming years. 

Renewables in Greece today represent 46% of the country’s electricity mix, intending to reach 70% by 2030. For some context, Norway, the continental European nation leading the way with the most renewable energy, currently sits at 49% (Iceland is at a whopping 89%). One point of optimism is that a strong renewable mix does not seem to be exclusive to wealthier European nations. Surprisingly, countries like Latvia (42%), Estonia (30%), and Portugal (34%), not often thought of as economic powerhouses, have strong renewable grids. This is a hopeful statistic that suggests that all nations, regardless of economics, can build up robust renewable energy networks.  

Greece does not stand alone as a nation that has achieved a period running on 100% renewable energy. Explore below a list of countries leading the charge on 100% renewable grids: 

• Bhutan

  This landlocked kingdom exports about 70% of the excess energy it creates from hydroelectricity. It also has no power plants that use fossil fuels.

• Costa Rica

  Hydroelectricity provides 82% of the nation’s electricity needs, with wind and geothermal providing the rest. Overall, 99% of the country’s energy needs are met by renewables.

• Ethiopia

  Just 48% of the country has access to electricity, but the country has a stated national objective of 100% access by 2025. Its renewables grid, which is about 90% hydroelectric and 6.5% wind-powered, can hopefully be maintained to ensure a clean energy provision.

• Iceland

  Sitting atop one of the Earth’s most volcanically active regions, Iceland has fitted about 25% of its electrical grid to geothermal, the rest of which is provided by hydropower and wind energy.

• Paraguay

  The country provides 99.5% of its electricity from hydropower, but owing to its relatively small population, only about 15% of this power is needed for its citizens. As a result, it can export 85% of all electricity generated to its neighbors, making it the largest net electricity exporter in South America.

• Scotland

  In 2011, the nation set a goal to reach 100% electricity from renewables by 2020. It narrowly missed the goal, providing 97.4%, an impressive feat regardless.

• Tajikistan

  On its list of goals is complete energy independence by 2030, which will be aided by its vast water reserves and mountainous geography, providing vast potential for hydropower (which provides 100% of electricity to the country)

• Uruguay

  In the last 15 years, Uruguay has gone from 27% of its energy provided via oil, to almost 95% now provided via renewable energy.