The possibility of a worse result occurrence cannot be excluded, although such an outcome would imply a major failure in the programmes both of the Public Power Corporation (PPC) and Public Gas Corporation (PGC), and a serious incapacity of the Administration to allocate the necessary funds or to ensure their effective absorption.
A worse result could also ensue if the energy demand were to increase at rates higher than the ones officially forecasted, for example, (a) if the importance of the shadow economy and invisible resources failed to be curtailed and/ or (b) if the policy of low electricity pricing (both in relative and absolute terms) were to be continued.
The achievement of better results is feasible, even in the context of the proposed programme. Such an outcome could, for ex., arise from the maximum possible use of the new gas-fired power generation plants (in order to cover base loads). Such a decision would, of course, entail a small increase in the average production costs per Kwh. Better abatement results could also be achieved if additional capital were to be secured for the financing of necessary interventions (leading to an acceleration in the development of Renewable Energy Source exploitation and of co-generation, and the promotion of new energy conservation technologies).
An increase in the available financial resources could be achieved through the undertaking of new community initiatives or from increased taxation on energy uses. Should the CO2 tax however be implemented, steps would then have to be taken to ensure that the ensuing revenues are used - in part, if not in whole - to finance emission abatement and environmental protection measures.
An increase in available funds can however also be achieved through a greater involvement of the private sector, as the necessary legal framework has already been largely elaborated (Law 2244/94 for the promotion of Renewable Energy Sources and co-generation, and a new law on incentives). It is furthermore estimated that the significant legislative revisions, which are still pending, will have been successfully completed in the near future. Such revisions are necessary for the completion of the legal framework governing energy conservation in general and, more specifically, in buildings, as well as for the creation of new financing mechanisms (for ex., third party financing).
The necessary initiatives will also be undertaken so as to ensure proper market organisation. This objective will be achieved with the establishment of maximum emission limits, and the elaboration of mechanisms for the standardisation, labelling, certification and quality guarantee of energy consuming appliances and equipment.
An additional but essential element of any effective energy conservation and CO2 abatement policy is the creation of a market of services and intermediaries between the controlling authorities and the vast number of decision-makers and consumers.
The elaboration and monitoring of energy balances in the SMEs and large buildings,
the certification of proper operation and the detection of necessary adjustments or corrections to be made, and
the regular maintenance of boilers, engines and other equipment all require services from numerous fields of specialisation, from energy engineers to specialised technicians.
A recently appointed committee has been given one year to thoroughly examine the questions related to the organisation of these markets, i.e. the general and technical training qualifications that will be required from the providers of these services, whether the registration of professionals and firms will or not be compulsory, whether and how client and certification files will be kept, etc. The funds necessary to promote this endeavour will be secured from the Operational Industrial Programme.
In any event, the success of the programme - and even more so, the realisation of the more ambitious scenario objectives - call for a vast range of multi-level actions and measures (technological feasibility, cost-effectiveness, legal revisions and/or support, etc.). The Greek government will appoint and devolve the necessary authority to an Expert Action Team that will assume the systematic monitoring and the continuous control of measure/action implementation. As for the actual composition of the team, two essential criteria will be met: the necessary participation/representation of the main bodies/organisations concerned, and the need to ensure continuous scientific support within the actual team.
The Greek programme by the year 2000 will - if successful - have managed to reverse the alarming trend of development noted not only in terms of CO2 emissions, but also at a level of primary demand and final energy consumption per unit GDP. It goes without saying that the achievement of even better results, as far as CO2 emissions are concerned, will further improve the Greek economy's energy intensity. These objectives are not only dictated by Greece's international obligations and commitments, they are also directly linked to the general quality of life in Greece and to the competitiveness of the Greek economy.
Forecasted evolution of basic magnitudes
CO2 emissions per unit of GDP
Primary energy demand per unit of GDP
Final energy consumption per unit of GDP
