Union of Industrial Consumers of Greece / Requests a change in industrial policy

A change of course for the Greek energy-intensive industry, as today the industrial policy is running out of “making PPAs” (bilateral green power contracts), calls for the Union of Industrial Consumers of Greece (EBIKEN).

As the president of the Union A. Kontoleon pointed out while speaking at an energy conference, apart from the European policy that endangers the competitiveness of our industry, and while in addition Greek industries are also exposed to a high percentage of exports (CBAM, gradual zeroing of free allowances) , we also have the “crippling” of subsidies (compensation) or the significant delay in the implementation of the reduced ETMEAR and the EU’s TCTF mechanism. The experience of the pandemic has clearly shown the need for the expansion and development of domestic industry in the context of a more balanced productive development of the economy, he emphasized and added that unfortunately today we see energy-intensive industries, such as the steel industry, shrinking, as they are burdened with uncompetitive energy prices rather than the drop in prices, while other multinational industries are closing their factories in our country without seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (Yula, Sonoco Alcore).

He made particular reference to the possibility now provided to member states to establish a support mechanism for the availability of flexible power, directed exclusively to demand response (response to demand) and storage, noting that the reduction of load during peak hours and the increase of load during off-peak hours with sunshine can be achieved more efficiently by shifting/trimming or load triggering.

In any case, he said, a coherent plan of self-evident measures to support and shield energy-intensive industries is needed before it is too late.