The Prinos CO₂ project is advancing steadily through its licensing process, marking a major step in Greece’s emerging carbon capture and storage (CCS) strategy. The amended environmental permit for Phase 1 has already been issued, enabling drilling from a new platform expected to arrive soon.
Regarding Phase 2, submission of the Environmental & Social Impact Assessment and the application for the storage permit are on their way, paving the path for full operational capacity of approximately 2.8 million tons of CO₂ per year, which is equivalent to app. 25-30% of the Greek hard-to-abate industry emissions. A market test is scheduled within the next quarter, with the final investment decision expected in the coming year.
During a panel at Delphi Economic Forum XI, Nikolas Rigas, Head of CO₂ Storage at EnEarth (Energean’s subsidiary), emphasized the project’s strategic importance for Greece and the region. He noted that industry now recognizes CO₂ storage as “the only solution” to manage persistently high CO₂ costs. Nikolas highlighted that EnEarth has chosen to innovate and lead Greece’s decarbonization path through the Prinos CO2 project.
The economic and social impact is equally significant. As Nikolas pointed out, independent studies show that Prinos CO₂ storage will help safeguard 140,000 existing industrial jobs, support €15 billion in annual exports, and contribute roughly €7 billion per year to GDP from sectors such as cement and refining. Beyond preserving industrial competitiveness, the project is projected to support the creation of up to 32,000 new high‑quality jobs (29,000 temporary and 3,000 permanent) and deliver €0.4 billion in annual GDP impact between 2025 and 2044.
Overall, Prinos CO₂ is emerging as a cornerstone of industrial decarbonization strategy in South Europe — combining climate action with economic resilience, innovation, and long‑term growth.
Korina Georgiou https://www.linkedin.com/in/korina-georgiou/
Francesca Zanninotti https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-zanninotti-8491375/
Sivaaji De Zoysa https://www.linkedin.com/in/sivaaji-de-zoysa-172a76214/
Plamena Nenkova https://www.linkedin.com/in/pnenkova/