Nikolas Rigas, Head of Carbon Storage at Energean and EnEarth, participated in a panel at the Athens College Alumni Association’s "Environment 2025" Conference. He was joined by Prof. Ioannis Maniatis, Member of the European Parliament, Aris Tsikouras, Decarbonization Strategy Director of TITAN Cement Group, and distinguished members of the academic community, Prof. Konstantinos Kartalis and Prof. Dimitrios Lalas.
Nikolas highlighted Greece's leadership role, particularly in renewable energy through wind, solar, and other sources. However, he noted that we often overlook the fact that Athens is surrounded by heavy industries that collectively emit around 5 million tons of CO2 annually.
This is an unresolved issue, Nikolas stated. No existing technology can significantly reduce emissions from industries like cement factories. He explained that our Prinos CO2 Storage project aims to capture approximately 3 million tons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to planting trees across an area 30 times the size of Attica, assuming the storage facility operates for around 20 years. This initiative is crucial for ensuring the continued operation of Greece's cement factories and heavy industries.
Nikolas also emphasized that carbon capture and storage (CCS) offers a practical solution for the next 20 to 25 years, until technologies capable of making these industries carbon neutral are developed. He further explained, In terms of competitiveness, five projects in the North Sea have already made Final Investment Decisions, targeting the decarbonization of the cement, refinery, and energy sectors in Northern Europe. Another 25 projects are planned for the coming years. Without action, we risk falling behind, as industries may eventually face bans on CO2 emissions due to available decarbonization solutions.
Nikolas continued, "My generation has been taught that CO2 emissions are unacceptable. As viable solutions emerge, we will face a critical choice: will we align ourselves with countries like Norway, the UK, and Denmark, or will we fall behind, as we did with projects like the delayed Pumped Storage in Amfilochia or the never-realized South Kavala Underground Gas Storage?"
He concluded by stressing that Greece now has the opportunity to advance with projects for which EnEarth and industrial emitters have already secured funding from both the European Commission and the Greek government. "We have the necessary support, and we stand at a crossroads - ready to position Greece among the most advanced nations in Europe," Nikolas Rigas said.