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High solar irradiation figures and government subsidies have driven the Greek solar market in recent years. After significant cutbacks in photovoltaic subsidies in 2013, the focus is now on the potential of the islands. Their power is largely supplied by diesel generators, which means that the municipalities are forced to pay high prices for fuel, and then have it delivered.

Consortium with expertise in hybrid systems

That is the starting point for OneShore Energy GmbH in its consortium with SMA Solar Technology AG. PV systems are to support the existing diesel generators on the islands, reducing diesel consumption by up to 40 percent.

To this end, the PV plant planned by OneShore will be equipped with the SMA Fuel Save Solution, which stably maximises integration of PV energy in diesel grids.

The Attica Zoological Park as a model for decentralised energy solutions

As part of the dena RES Programme, a first system of this kind was installed at Attica Zoological Park near Athens. It simulates a standalone hybrid system based on the electricity consumption data collected on Greek islands.

That makes the zoo a reference for standalone solutions and allows them to minimise their diesel costs using photovoltaics. At the same time, public perception of the system at this location is very high. Students from the National Technical University of Athens contributed to the software development.

A dedicated website was set up to show the hybrid system’s daily energy yield. The marketing package in the Greece RES project focused on networking and information distribution on the Greek islands. The system was handed over to the zoo on 17 June 2014 in an official ceremony by the German Embassy, the project partners and representatives from the worlds of politics and business.

About the German project partners

OneShore Energy GmbH plans and operates solar/diesel plants in Greece and Africa. From its Berlin offices, it plans and engineers hybrid systems worldwide, also by means of feasibility and grid stability studies.
SMA Solar Technology AG from Niestetal near Kassel is a global leader in the development, production and sale of solar inverters, and, as an energy management group, offers innovative key technologies for future energy supply structures. This includes system technology for grid-connected photovoltaic systems, as well as standalone and hybrid systems.

System Data

This project is part of the worldwide dena Renewable Energy Solutions Programme.