As 2024 was coming to an end IENE research staff and associates raced to complete a number of important studies which had commenced earlier in the year. Some of these studies and research projects were due for completion last September/October where others were scheduled for end of year delivery.
A total of four research oriented projects were actually completed in the course of 4 weeks, from the end of November until December 30.
The first in the above batch of projects was the one dealing with the “Green Aegean Interconnector” which was undertaken by the Institute last August under assignment by Grant Thornton. In this instance the IENE analysed the various regulatory and governance issues involved for a major electricity link which is planned to run from Greece to Southern Germany and when completed by 2030 it will have some 9.0 GW transmission capacity. The principal and potential operator of the project is Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator( IPTO) who entrusted Grant Thornton with the feasibility study of the whole project. In turn the IENE,as part of its Advisory Services, carried out some of the assigned work as subcontractor to GT.
In its work the in-house IENE staff was supported by two of the Institute’s partners, namely by Aleksandar Mijuskovic, who examined all the technical regulatory aspects of the interconnection, and Mrs.Evgenia Tzaninni, who carried out most the legal regulatory work.
A second project which was completed and delivered to its supporting partners just before the New Year, was the follow up study on the original CCUS project which the Institute carried out last year (here).This research project which commenced last July is entitled “ Implementing CCUS Hubs in Greece: A Cost Benefit Analysis”.Building upon the road map established in the first study the IENE team carried out a thorough examination of the economics involved in building and operating a proper CCUS hub to serve primarily the needs of the Attica industrial area. The IENE team also included Dr.Nikos Koukouzas, a Research Associate of IENE and Mr.Theodore Terzopoulos, IENE Partner and chairman of the Institute’s Natural Gas,Hydrogen and Biomethane committee. All engineering related work, including site survey and CCUS location characteristics, was undertaken by Asprofos Engineering. The results of the project will be announced in a special seminar to be organised in Athens and online sometime towards the end of February.
The third study involved a survey of East Mediterranean’s energy options in the context of the current energy transition and taking into consideration the fast changing geopolitical situation in the region. Although the study is completed in pre final draft form it was decided to extend it by few weeks in order to include latest developments in Syria. The study will be relaeased at the end of January and its results will be announced during the forthcoming Athens Energy Summit which will take place on February 5 in Athens.
Last but not least is IENE’s annual report on Greece’s Energy Sector for 2024 which was completed early in December and presented on December 16 in a special event organised in association with the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE). The report, in Greek, has already been uploaded at www.iene.gr, and is freely available, while its English language translation will shortly become available in this site.
The IENE team is taking this opportunity to wish all its members n and associates a truly Happy and Prosperous New Year.
