Editorial Ta Nea: Capabilities and energy independence

According to official data, the EU in 2020 imported 58 percent of the energy it consumed, as production by member-states covered only 42 percent of the Union’s needs.

Who is the EUs top energy provider? Take a wild guess. Russia, of course – with petrol, natural gas, and coal.

Yet, the most recent dramatic developments with the Russian invasion of Ukraine highlighted the problem of energy dependence and expedited discussions about resolving the issue.

This is where Greece comes in as an answer to the equation.

With our advantageous strategic position and the overall capabilities that it affords, we can immediately provide the forum for a plan to ensure energy autonomy not only for Greece, but also for a substantial segment of the European family.

The restart of exploration for natural gas deposits even in new maritime zones, the speeding up of existing work on deposits, the inter-connection of Crete with Greece’s continental transport system, the Greece-Egypt Interconnector (subsea power link), and the the IGB Project (Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria, photo), are just some of the strategic steps toward true energy independence.

With a plan combining gas extraction with the green economy that will be attractive for companies, the entire mix will be ideal and will obviously upgrade Greece geopolitically.

The opportunity and the plan exist.