Greece is taking a major step forward in clean energy with its first-ever legal framework for green hydrogen and biomethane. Rolled out by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the focus isn’t on throwing subsidies around—it’s all about smart regulation and integrating these renewable gases into the market.
Green hydrogen: Betting on carbon pricing instead of government handouts
Instead of putting public money on the line, Greece plans to use the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) as a tool to push green hydrogen toward price competitiveness. The idea is that as carbon prices climb, traditional fossil fuels will become less attractive, making room for cleaner alternatives. Still, experts like Professor Pantelis Kapros are sounding a note of caution—they say this plan only works if carbon prices go high enough. Otherwise, hydrogen production might not be able to stand on its own two feet just yet.
Biomethane: More practical, more immediate
While green hydrogen still has some hurdles to jump, biomethane is already looking like a more down-to-earth option. It’s cheaper to produce and slips easily into Greece’s current natural gas infrastructure without major overhauls. Companies like Enaon EDA are already scoping out sites for expanding biomethane use, which could help move things along faster on the ground.
Chasing the big dream: Becoming a green energy hub
All in all, this policy signals that Greece is playing the long game. With its sunny climate and growing focus on renewables, the country’s clearly aiming to position itself as a leading green energy exporter in the region. But with no direct financial incentives on the table for now, don’t expect an overnight transformation. Industrial uptake may lag unless new support tools arrive soon.
Those next steps will likely show up in Greece’s upcoming National Hydrogen Strategy, where more concrete plans and possibly some financial incentives are expected to help shore up hydrogen infrastructure and accelerate large-scale adoption across both technologies.
