Subsidies for green heating approved for 100,000 Greek homes

The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy published the first list of households that will benefit from the national program for modernizing heating systems.

In total, more than 100,000 households have been accepted, of which 5,000 are classified as vulnerable. The renewable heating program had an original budget of EUR 223 million, with support from the NextGenerationEU fund, but it was later enlarged to EUR 647 million. It takes place under the RePowerEU policy initiative and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0.

The initiative supports energy upgrades of buildings and the substitution of older heating systems using fossil fuels, with new ones based on renewable energy. Notably, Greece set a goal for a 52.6% share of renewable heating by 2030, according to its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). In 2023, the level reached 26.2%, therefore there is a long distance to cover.

Most buildings in the country currently use either heating oil or natural gas. The goal is to shift to green technologies such as heat pumps or rooftop solar water heaters. These solar systems are especially popular in Greece, since the scorching sun provides ample thermal energy to convert into hot water, even during winter months. They also have a high domestic added value, as they are mainly constructed by Greek companies.

At least 50% of the cost covered

Support is provided for the general public according to income criteria, with 50% to 60% of the cost covered. Beneficiaries get up to EUR 1,020 for their energy upgrades.

As for vulnerable households, there are no income criteria and they get up to EUR 6,000 for each installation.

More applications are expected to be approved in the following months, as Greece aims to complete the program before June 2026, when the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) reaches its end.