Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ATHENS1388
2008-10-02 07:26:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
BIOFUELS: GREECE TRYING TO GET IN THE GAME
how-toVZCZCXRO6725 OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHTH #1388 2760726 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 020726Z OCT 08 FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2586 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ATHENS 001388
SIPDIS
EUR/ERA FOR BEH/NELSON, EUR/PGI FOR TESSLER, OES/PCI FOR
FITE/HUDAK, OES/EGC FOR FENDLEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN GR
SUBJECT: BIOFUELS: GREECE TRYING TO GET IN THE GAME
REF: SECSTATE 98110
UNCLAS ATHENS 001388
SIPDIS
EUR/ERA FOR BEH/NELSON, EUR/PGI FOR TESSLER, OES/PCI FOR
FITE/HUDAK, OES/EGC FOR FENDLEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN GR
SUBJECT: BIOFUELS: GREECE TRYING TO GET IN THE GAME
REF: SECSTATE 98110
1. (SBU) EmbOff delivered reftel points to the Advisor to
the Secretary General of Energy and Natural Sources Viky
Georgakopoulou. Following the proposed legislation on the
Renewable Fuels Directive in the Council of the European
Union (EU) and the European Parliament, Georgakopoulou said
the Government of Greece (GOG) formed a working group to
target how Greece will be able to conform to the criteria for
biofuels and renewables. The working group for biofuels
includes representatives from the Ministry of Environment,
the Ministry of Rural Food and Development, the Regulatory
Authority for Energy (RAE),and the Center for Renewable
Energy Sources (CRES).
2. (SBU) As the biofuels targets for Greece have already
been decided upon at the European Commission level,
Georgakopoulou said the GOG was currently negotiating which
biofuels will be used in the data calculations to meet EU
requirements. The French, the current holders of the EU
Presidency, were seeking to achieve approval by year-end on
legislation covering EU regulations for the "20-20-20 by
2020" Climate and Energy package. Nevertheless,
Georgakopoulou stressed that an agreement was not likely to
happen in such a short time-frame due to disagreements
between member states on the sustainability criteria.
3. (SBU) Greece supports a two-step approach in implementing
minimum greenhouse gas emissions savings standards from the
use of biofuels as proposed by the Government of Spain, noted
Georgakopoulou. Under this plan, all biofuels used in Greece
must deliver life-cycle CO2 savings (i.e. during production,
transport and use) of at least 35 percent compared to
conventional fuels in the first phase. In the second phase,
biofuels would be expected to deliver savings of up to 50
percent versus fossil fuels (as of 2017). Georgakopoulou
said the two-step approach was more realistic for Greece.
4. (SBU) In renewables, Greece aims to utilize renewable
energy sources (RES) for 18 percent of its electricity needs
by 2020; at present, Greece is using about 8 percent. In
biofuels, Greece is expected to reach a target usage of ten
percent of total fuel consumption by 2020. Although
Georgakopoulou did not know the exact figure for present
biofuel usage, she said it was quite low and likely in the
single-digits. She highlighted that sustainability criteria
should be considered in context of Greece's landscape and
climate, similar to other Mediterranean countries in the EU.
Comment
--------------
5. (SBU) Georgakopoulou did not believe that Greece would be
able to meet the aggressive targets for biofuels, but she was
more optimistic on renewables, a high-visibility sector.
Greece has a long way to go to meet both directives,
especially given the current tempestuous political climate.
Attracting private sector investors to new industries already
bogged down by a heavy-handed public sector will not be easy.
End Comment.
SPECKHARD
SIPDIS
EUR/ERA FOR BEH/NELSON, EUR/PGI FOR TESSLER, OES/PCI FOR
FITE/HUDAK, OES/EGC FOR FENDLEY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN GR
SUBJECT: BIOFUELS: GREECE TRYING TO GET IN THE GAME
REF: SECSTATE 98110
1. (SBU) EmbOff delivered reftel points to the Advisor to
the Secretary General of Energy and Natural Sources Viky
Georgakopoulou. Following the proposed legislation on the
Renewable Fuels Directive in the Council of the European
Union (EU) and the European Parliament, Georgakopoulou said
the Government of Greece (GOG) formed a working group to
target how Greece will be able to conform to the criteria for
biofuels and renewables. The working group for biofuels
includes representatives from the Ministry of Environment,
the Ministry of Rural Food and Development, the Regulatory
Authority for Energy (RAE),and the Center for Renewable
Energy Sources (CRES).
2. (SBU) As the biofuels targets for Greece have already
been decided upon at the European Commission level,
Georgakopoulou said the GOG was currently negotiating which
biofuels will be used in the data calculations to meet EU
requirements. The French, the current holders of the EU
Presidency, were seeking to achieve approval by year-end on
legislation covering EU regulations for the "20-20-20 by
2020" Climate and Energy package. Nevertheless,
Georgakopoulou stressed that an agreement was not likely to
happen in such a short time-frame due to disagreements
between member states on the sustainability criteria.
3. (SBU) Greece supports a two-step approach in implementing
minimum greenhouse gas emissions savings standards from the
use of biofuels as proposed by the Government of Spain, noted
Georgakopoulou. Under this plan, all biofuels used in Greece
must deliver life-cycle CO2 savings (i.e. during production,
transport and use) of at least 35 percent compared to
conventional fuels in the first phase. In the second phase,
biofuels would be expected to deliver savings of up to 50
percent versus fossil fuels (as of 2017). Georgakopoulou
said the two-step approach was more realistic for Greece.
4. (SBU) In renewables, Greece aims to utilize renewable
energy sources (RES) for 18 percent of its electricity needs
by 2020; at present, Greece is using about 8 percent. In
biofuels, Greece is expected to reach a target usage of ten
percent of total fuel consumption by 2020. Although
Georgakopoulou did not know the exact figure for present
biofuel usage, she said it was quite low and likely in the
single-digits. She highlighted that sustainability criteria
should be considered in context of Greece's landscape and
climate, similar to other Mediterranean countries in the EU.
Comment
--------------
5. (SBU) Georgakopoulou did not believe that Greece would be
able to meet the aggressive targets for biofuels, but she was
more optimistic on renewables, a high-visibility sector.
Greece has a long way to go to meet both directives,
especially given the current tempestuous political climate.
Attracting private sector investors to new industries already
bogged down by a heavy-handed public sector will not be easy.
End Comment.
SPECKHARD