The regulatory issues pending in the creation and operation of CCS chains, as well as discussions on possible amendments to the ETS mechanism, should not lead to postponements or delays in the implementation of investments. This was emphasized by Sotiris Chiotakis, Head of Communications & Corporate Affairs at EnEarth for Greece, the Balkans, and Southeastern Europe.
Speaking at the 4th Hydrogen & Green Gases Forum, held in Athens on June 18, during a panel discussion with representatives of industrial emitters and DESFA, the Greek TSO, Sotiris noted the continuous increase in carbon emissions in both 2024 and 2025, stressing the need for decarbonization to remain a priority. “Climate cannot wait. Geopolitical developments should not lead us to swing to the opposite extreme compared to what we saw in previous years. We must not go from ‘everything green’ to ‘Forget Net Zero” he remarked.
Regarding EnEarth’s flagship project, Prinos CO₂, he pointed out that it is one of only three such projects in Europe that have already been licensed for storage and environmental terms.
FEED is in progress, and during the summer the market test will proceed to confirm the strong market interest already expressed through the signing of 15 MoUs that exceed Prinos’ storage capacity, he added.
Sotiris also noted that preparations are in progress for the new Omega platform, which will be installed in Prinos in the autumn, in the context of the Prinos CO2 development. “At the same time, we are preparing to submit the application for the new storage license, covering the full capacity of 2.8 million tons of CO₂ per year, along with the corresponding environmental and social impact assessment,” he explained, commenting that the investment “is now on a trajectory toward implementation.”
Additionally, EnEarth plans to develop the Devnya CO2 project in Bulgaria, that provides for the decarbonization of a Heidelberg’s cement production unit. “We are in discussions and evaluation processes, with a storage target of 850,000 tons annually,” Sotiris concluded.
