Η διεθνής εμπειρία σε υπεράκτια αιολικά πάρκα : η περίπτωση της Ελλάδας

Λοϊζος, Σπυρίδων

Master Thesis

Author

Λοϊζος, Σπυρίδων

Date

2023-09

Abstract

Nowadays, the huge emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and other greenhouse gases emitted from the burning of fossil fuels, have increased the average global temperature, and have made the Climate Crisis one of the major threats to our planet. To mitigate the Climate Crisis, it is necessary to replace fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) with renewable energy sources (RES), such as wind energy. In recent years, wind farm installations have been growing rapidly worldwide, not only on land but also on water bodies in the countries that have this privilege. The country with the largest offshore wind energy production is China, while in Europe the largest offshore wind energy production is found in the United Kingdom and Germany, in the North Sea. The great advantage of the North Sea is the shallow depth for many kilometers, where the wind turbines are embedded in the seabed. On the other hand, the great depth of the Mediterranean Sea makes it technically difficult and economically unviable to install the wind turbine to the seabed. In recent years a new technology has been developed where wind turbines float on the sea surface, so it is estimated that the installation and exploitation of offshore wind farms in the Mediterranean Sea will be implemented soon. In the present diploma thesis, the potential of offshore wind energy production in Greece was examined and the ArcGIS Pro application was used to create maps. The country’s large maritime areas, surrounded by the Ionian and Aegean seas, as well as strong and consistent winds, make Greece a country with significant potential of offshore wind energy production. In 2022 Greece introduced a new legal framework for RES, including offshore wind, to attract investment in the sector through licensing procedures. The aim is to install at least 2 GW of wind power capacity by 2030. The average annual wind speed in the Aegean ranges from 7 to 9 meters per second (m/s), with the highest wind speeds occurring in the North and Central Aegean, between Eastern Crete and the Dodecanes, and west of Crete. However, the effective development of offshore wind farms also faces certain challenges and concerns such as technical constraints (sea depth, distance from the coast, subsea connectivity), intensive use of marine space (fishing, aquaculture), well-developed tourism industry, Natura regions and potential geopolitical issues related to territorial waters. At the same time, financial viability and bureaucratic procedures that contribute to uncertainties and delays in project implementation must be considered. It is therefore necessary to conduct detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs), considering all the biotic and abiotic elements of the aquatic environment, while it is imperative to raise public awareness and disseminate knowledge to counteract social reactions and enhance the acceptance of offshore wind energy. In summary, offshore wind energy can be the leading source of clean, renewable energy in Greece and can contribute to the green transition and the achievement of the targets set by the Greek Government to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Κλιματική Κρίση και Τεχνολογίες Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών / MSc in Climate Crisis and Information and Communication Technologies

Department

Σχολή Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών. Τμήμα Ψηφιακών Συστημάτων

Number of pages

111

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/15823
http://dx.doi.org/10.26267/unipi_dione/3245

Collections

Τμήμα Ψηφιακών Συστημάτων

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα