The Greek Parliament has passed a sweeping renewable energy reform bill that for the first time allows apartment dwellers to install small solar panels on their balconies, while tightening environmental protections and setting an ambitious battery storage target as Greece accelerates its green transition.
The legislation, titled "Modernization of Legislation for Renewable Energy Production," introduces 800-watt plug-in photovoltaic systems designed for urban balconies — a measure Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou described as a victory for "energy democracy."
"The sun and wind belong to all citizens, not just industrial giants," Mr. Papastavrou told the plenary session.
"Energy security is now synonymous with national security."
The bill also strengthens environmental protections for the 425,000 residents living within Greece's Natura 2000 protected areas, simplifies licensing procedures and increases transparency in the renewables permitting process.
To address a critical gap in Greece's energy infrastructure, Mr. Papastavrou committed to expanding battery storage capacity from the current 32 megawatts to 1 gigawatt by 2027 — a thirtyfold increase designed to manage the intermittency of solar and wind generation.
The minister also announced that a long-awaited Special Spatial Plan for renewables will be published within two weeks, providing definitive zoning rules on where wind and solar installations can be built.
"We will explain exactly where we say yes and, crucially, where we say no more," Mr. Papastavrou said, signaling an end to years of regulatory ambiguity that has slowed project development.