Greece has some of Europe's best wind resource over deep water — which is why its offshore programme is, by necessity, largely a floating-wind programme. The legal framework exists, the areas have been mapped, and the first competitive procedures are approaching. For developers and their supply chains, now is the window in which positioning is decided.

Key Facts — Verified

  • Law 4964/2022 established the framework for offshore wind development; the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA) is the designated licensing and development body.
  • The draft National Programme for Offshore Wind identified 25 areas covering about 2,712 km², with an estimated minimum capacity potential of around 12.4 GW.
  • Greece's revised NECP targets roughly 1.9 GW of offshore wind by 2030 (about 5% of the 2030 power capacity mix); earlier programme documents referenced ambitions up to 2.7 GW.
  • Areas eligible for development in the first wave include Eastern Crete, Southern Rhodes, the Central Aegean, the Evia–Chios axis and the Ionian Sea.
  • First tenders are expected no earlier than around 2027, with auction design reported to include flexible CfDs and curtailment protection. Floating technology is expected to suit the majority of zones.

How the Framework Works

The Greek model is state-led site development: HEREMA identifies and matures Organised Development Areas for offshore wind, conducts the strategic environmental work, and will run the competitive procedures through which developers obtain exploration and exploitation rights. This mirrors the "managed seabed" approach of mature North Sea markets — and is intended to compress the risk that individual developers would otherwise carry through years of siting disputes.

For investors, the important structural point is that offshore wind in Greece will be won in auctions, not through first-mover land grabs. Preparation therefore looks different from onshore development: consortium formation, port and supply-chain strategy, marine survey capability and financing structure matter more than early site control.

The Floating Dimension

Greek waters deepen quickly; conventional bottom-fixed foundations are viable in only a minority of the identified zones. Floating wind changes the industrial equation — moorings, dynamic cables, assembly ports, tow-out logistics — and increases the weight of port infrastructure and local supply-chain readiness in any credible bid. It also raises capex, which is why auction design features such as flexible CfDs and curtailment protection are commercially decisive.

What Bidders Should Be Doing Now

  • Track the programme formally. The National Programme, its environmental approval and the ministerial decisions defining the first auction areas set the real timetable.
  • Model curtailment and grid scenarios. Offshore volumes will land on a system already managing renewable curtailment — protection mechanisms in the support scheme will drive bankability.
  • Build the consortium early. Technology partners, marine contractors, port operators and local presence take time to assemble — and auctions reward completeness.
  • Prepare the contractual architecture. Floating projects multiply interfaces: turbine supply, floaters, moorings, cables, ports, installation vessels. Interface risk allocation will separate financeable projects from stranded ones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who licenses offshore wind in Greece?

HEREMA (Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company) is the designated body under Law 4964/2022 for developing offshore wind areas and administering the relevant procedures, with support schemes awarded through competitive tenders.

When will Greece hold its first offshore wind auctions?

Public reporting indicates the first call for tenders is planned for no earlier than around 2027, covering the initial approved areas. Timelines depend on completion of the National Programme's approval steps and auction design.

Why is floating wind so important for Greece?

Because Greek seas are deep close to shore, the majority of the identified offshore zones are expected to require floating rather than bottom-fixed technology, according to HEREMA.

Sources & Further Reading

  1. HEREMA — Offshore wind programme and announcements — herema.gr
  2. HEREMA, "The Draft National Programme for Offshore Wind Energy" — herema.gr
  3. Law 4964/2022 (Government Gazette A' 150/30.07.2022), Part B — offshore wind framework
  4. Balkan Green Energy News, "Offshore wind auctions in Greece to include flexible CfDs and curtailment protection" — balkangreenenergynews.com
  5. U.S. International Trade Administration, "Greece — Offshore Wind Projects" — trade.gov

This article provides general information, verified against the cited sources at the date of publication. Programme timelines are subject to change; verify the current status before relying on them.