Electric power

The "large geopolitical significance" of the EastMed pipeline, which will transfer natural gas from the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe, was stressed by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Bulgarian seaside resort of Varna on Friday.

Romania's primary energy sources increased by 2.8pct in the first eight months of 2018 and electricity sources advanced 0.2pct from the same period of the previous year, according to data released on Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

The leaders of Greece and Egypt on Wednesday backed efforts by regional ally Cyprus to exploit off-shore gas deposits, despite strong objection from Turkey.

The leaders of Greece, Egypt and Cyprus are meeting on the island of Crete to discuss furthering regional cooperation, including oil and gas exploration rights in the east Mediterranean and efforts to combat illegal immigration to Europe.

Wind turbines, designed as an alternative to fossil fuels, still contribute to climate change due to the way they redistribute heat and moisture in the atmosphere, according to a study published Thursday, reports AFP. 

€ 10 million will be invested in Bulgaria by the Chinese electric car maker Cenntro Automotive Corporation and Luxembourg-based SEVIC eMobility, SEVIC Director of Business Development Emil Yankov told SeeNews. The companies will build a plant for the production of electric cars in Trakia Economic Zone near Plovdiv. It is planned to employ between 250 and 300 employees to work there.

Greece's electrical grid ADMIE said on Thursday it would set up a company immediately to build a power link connecting the island of Crete to the mainland, overcoming delays that had posed a risk to future power supply.

A road leads past a wind turbine stands on the Aegean island of Tilos. When the blades of the 800 kilowatt wind turbine start turning, Tilos will become the first island in the Mediterranean to run exclusively on wind and solar power, feeding the needs of its population of some 400 people in winter, and some 3000 in summer. [Iliana Mier/AP]

In a market where power companies are increasingly engaging call centers to advertise complex electricity packages over the telephone, consumers need to be cautious when considering switching energy providers, the Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) says.

The European Commission remains vigilant regarding developments in the project for the power connection between Attica and Crete, and sources say it is determined to exhaust all avenues for it to proceed as a project of common interest (PCI).