In August, lignite’s contribution to electricity generation saw an increase, playing a role in the energy market for twenty days. According to the latest report from the Hellenic Energy Exchange (HEnEx), lignite-fired power plants accounted for an average of 4% of the intraday market. In comparison, gas-fired power plants contributed 36%, renewables 38%, imports 12%, and hydropower 5%.
The rise in lignite usage helped lower the average wholesale electricity price to €129.8/MWh in August, a slight decrease from €135/MWh in July. Notably, lignite’s share peaked at 15.8% of the energy mix on September 4, a significant increase from its near-zero presence in May.