GREECE
Amazon invests in three wind farms in Greece
Amazon has agreed to invest in three new utility-scale wind farms in Greece, in the Western and Central Macedonia and the Peloponnese, the retail giant announced on Wednesday.
The company has signed four Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) that span three renewable energy projects, marking its largest renewable energy deal in the country to date.
Two of the PPAs are for the Vermio wind farm, which is divided into Vermio North and Vermio South, spanning the Western and Central Macedonia regions. The other two PPAs enable the Mesokorfi and Koukouras wind farms in the Peloponnese region.
Developed by Ireland-headquartered renewable energy firm Aer Soléir, the projects are already under construction, with power generation expected to begin in 2026. In total, the three wind farms are expected to generate enough carbon-free energy to power the equivalent of nearly 200,000 Greek homes annually.
The energy from the projects will be delivered directly to the grid, helping power Amazon’s operations while benefitting other energy users, including local businesses, public institutions, and Greek households.
For the Vermio wind farm, more than 100 construction jobs have already been created, with up to 300 roles expected during peak activity on the site, according to Aer Soléir.
As part of its collaboration with Amazon, Aer Soléir has allocated more than €1 million euros for community investments such as infrastructure improvements, donations to schools and emergency services, and economic support for local agriculture and farmers. For the Vermio wind farm, Aer Soleir has also allocated an additional €1.8 million euros specifically for reforestation and biodiversity programmes in the region.
The €496 million euros financing for Greece’s flagship energy project combines €249 million euros in commercial debt from the National Bank of Greece and funds from the European Recovery & Resilience Fund.
“The collaboration between Aer Soleir, the National Bank of Greece, and Amazon is a ground-breaking commitment to Greece’s renewable energy future, marked by a transformative investment exceeding $1 billion,” said Theodoros Skylakakis, Minister of Energy & Environment. “Amazon has been steadily increasing its investment in technology and infrastructure across Greece, and this announcement today underscores Amazon’s pivotal role in supporting sustainable development in the region and their commitment to driving innovation, economic growth, and digital transformation across Greece.”
Last year, Amazon completed the first utility solar power project in Makrihoria of Aetoloakarnania, in Greece, adding more than 1GW of clean energy to the European energy grids.
Source: Ekathimerini.com
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