2020 was a special year for photovoltaics. Not only because the pandemic affected the market, but also because a change in the way the tariff is “locked” (with a “readiness statement” and not with the electrification) drastically changed the way the statistics are presented for this year, as reported in Relevant announcement of the Association of Photovoltaic Companies (SEF).
Specifically, it states:
Thus, in the following data we give two different pairs of sizes for the annual market: one for the new annual and total installed capacity, and one for the new annual and total capacity of systems that are interconnected to the network. More specifically, 780 systems with a total power of 453.8 MWp were installed but were not interconnected within 2020 (submitted a declaration of readiness and will be interconnected within 2021). This distinction makes sense because the installed power reflects the sales of equipment, the number of systems and the jobs, while the interconnected systems affect the power available in the System but also the financial figures of the Special RES Account and the respective payments to the producers. ΑΠΕ.
In 2020, the market for self-generating systems almost doubled compared to the previous year, still remaining at significantly lower levels than the country’s potential. More specifically, 17 MWp of new energy offset or virtual energy offset systems were installed, bringing the total capacity of this category to 51 MWp, with commercial systems covering more than 90% of this power and home systems lagging far behind.
Installed and Interconnected systems
MWp
New photovoltaic power installed in 2020
913
Newly installed power of interconnected photovoltaics in 2020
459
Total installed capacity of photovoltaics until 2020
3,742
Total installed capacity of interconnected photovoltaics until 2020
3,288
- Any minor differences with data from previous years are due to ex-post corrections of HEDNO
Jobs
In 2020, the photovoltaic market maintained (and even in the midst of a pandemic) 42,200 equivalent full-time jobs (direct, indirect and consequential) 1.
Photovoltaic energy efficiency
1 The calculation of direct jobs per installed megawatt (MW) is done using the methodology developed on behalf of the International Trade Union Confederation, the results of which are confirmed by corresponding calculations of the International Organization for RES (IRENA) and the methodology followed in the US. These jobs are created both locally (at the site of the power plant) and supra-locally (especially for the production of equipment). Therefore, for the calculation of jobs at country level, we have taken into account the percentage of equipment produced at national level and not imported from a third country.
See the SEF bulletin: PV-Stats-Greece 2020
