The Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA), as the country’s appointed licensing authority for the geological storage of CO2, represents Greece at the highest level of EU institutions involved in developing the sector. On 10 April 2024 HEREMA CEO, Aristofanis Stefatos, along with the Head of Geoscience, Efthimios Tartaras, participated at the inaugural meeting of the newly-established Expert Group on the Geological Storage of Carbon Dioxide (CCS Expert Group) in Brussels.
The CCS Expert Group acts at the request of the Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), which leads the European Commission’s efforts to fight climate change. Its main purpose is to assist the Commission in the implementation of existing EU legislation, policies, and programs; to support in the preparation of further legislative proposals and policy initiatives; to cultivate communication and collaboration between EU member States.
It’s evident that the implementation of CCS projects are very high on the EU agenda, as a significant pillar in achieving the ambitious energy targets of storing 50 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030 and 250 million tonnes by 2050. Towards that effort, the EU develops the necessary regulatory framework, with the contribution of competent authorities from member states, such as HEREMA.
At the meeting of April 10th, the HEREMA CEO and Head of Geoscience participated at panel discussions on
-Guidance Documents for the implementation of the EU CCS Directive
-the existing regulatory framework and the development of pertinent European policies, such as the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA)
-the role of CCS in the national energy and climate plans (NECPs),
-the progress of CCS projects in member states
With regard to the latter, Greece was recognized as one of the countries that are accelerating their CCS program, as HEREMA has already issued the first exploration permit for the Prinos concession in Kavala, northern Greece.
In addition to issuing exploration and storage permits for CO2, HEREMA’s remit also includes managing the rights of the Hellenic state for the storage of CO2 and other gases and liquids, such as natural gas and hydrogen.