The Greek government is preparing to introduce stricter spatial planning rules for wind energy development as part of a revised renewable energy framework that is expected to enter public consultation soon.
The updated plan, drafted by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, will impose tighter criteria on the siting of wind turbines, particularly in mountainous areas, major tourist destinations, and environmentally protected zones. One of the most significant proposed changes concerns altitude limits for wind farms. Recent discussions considered thresholds ranging from around 1,300 to nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, but industry expectations suggest the final restriction will likely be set closer to the lower end of that range, most likely below 1,500 meters.
The new framework is also expected to introduce additional constraints on projects planned for highly touristic island regions, such as the Cyclades, while expanding protections for sensitive ecological areas. At the same time, authorities appear ready to safeguard more advanced renewable projects from the new restrictions. According to sector expectations, wind farms that have already secured environmental approval will likely be exempt from the new horizontal limitations, thereby protecting projects that are already deep in the permitting pipeline and awaiting final authorization.
This regulatory tightening comes at a time when Greece is facing a rapidly expanding pipeline of licensed wind energy capacity. Existing wind farms, together with projects that have already obtained or are seeking final grid connection offers, currently total around 16.19 GW.
This figure significantly exceeds Greece’s official targets under the National Energy and Climate Plan, which sets a goal of 8.9 GW of installed wind capacity by 2030 and approximately 13 GW by 2050, highlighting the growing tension between rapid renewable development and evolving spatial and environmental constraints.
