• Energy Research
• 7. Clean energy close
• 13. Climate action close
• University of Piraeus: Dione close

From the 1st of November 2020, the Greek Power Market is re-organized and operates according to the EU Target Model framework. The previous model of the mandatory pool is succeeded by the design and operation of four successive markets. These are the Derivatives Market (DM), which is a financial market and the three spot markets which are the Day-Ahead Market (DAM), the Intra-Day Market (IDM) and the Balancing Market (BM). The present Thesis is an attempt to efficiently organize and interpret the Spot Markets’ data and present a holistic overview of the market operation and the dynamics under the transitional period of the first three months under the EU Target Model implementation in the Greek Power Market. The analysis of the present study is performed based on real market data, as published from the Hellenic Transmission System Operator (HTSO), which is the ADMIE/IPTO, the Greek Nominated Energy Market Operator (NEMO), which is the Hellenic Energy Exchange (HEnEX) and the ENTSO-e Transparency Platform. The EU Target Model framework is implemented towards the harmonization of market rules and markets operation, across the European Member States, with the provision of the functioning of a single European-wide energy market, the so-called Internal Energy Market (IEM), where one of the main objectives of the IEM is the increase of sustainability, considering high penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in a European-wide scale.

The seaborne trade accounts for approximately 90 per cent of the global trade and economy, proving the power of this industry. The maritime transport of goods and raw materials remains the most cost-effective and energy-efficient means of transporting of large volume of cargo in comparison to road and rail. Nevertheless, the need for the immediate international actions on the climate crisis and global warming entails the reduction of emissions resulting from all sectors. The Kyoto Protocol indicated in its Article 2.2 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as the global regulator for the reduction of emissions from international shipping. In line with that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed a regulatory framework addressing to the control of the emissions of the air pollutants and to the improvement of ship energy efficiency, by limiting the emissions of the greenhouse gases. This thesis includes the main regulatory measures adopted for the reduction of the emissions of the Sulphur Oxides (SOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), and of the greenhouse gases (GHG), including Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O), expressed in CO2e and concludes to the significance of the efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) into minimizing the impact of the international shipping to the climate change.

The European Union (EU) is committed to reduce carbon emissions by 80-95% in 2050, when compared to 1990. To reach this ambitious objective, a shift in energy consumption to low carbon, locally produced energy, and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) is needed. The use of biomass to produce electricity, heat and fuels could significantly help towards this direction. More specifically, the generation of electricity supplemented by the production of thermal energy (Combined Heat and Power - CHP) is an efficient way το achieve EU’s targets. The produced thermal energy of the CHP plant could be used to supply District Heating Networks (DHN) of cities with cold climate. In the context of this master’s thesis, the application of biomass for CHP in Europe was studied. At the beginning was analyzed the policy framework for biomass and CHP in EU. Furthermore, an extensive analysis of the EU’s legal regime of biomass and cogeneration from it was executed. This analysis was further extended for the case of Greece. Moreover, the available technologies for biomass CHP were studied and the main advantages and disadvantages of biomass, as well as applications of CHP plants worldwide, were presented. Furthermore, a feasibility study concerning the installation of a CHP plant supplying with thermal energy the DHN of the city of Amynteon (Greece) was executed. Following a detailed energy study for the calculation of the installed electrical and thermal capacity of the specific plant, an extensive techno-economic analysis was performed, which proved that under certain conditions the relative investment could be profitable. Finally, an optimization study concerning the installation of a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system in parallel with the CHP plant was also executed.

Energy Services can contribute to the European Union’s (EU) green transition, reducing the environmental footprint of the primary energy consumers, namely, the Industry, the Transport, the Buildings and the Public. Being intrinsically linked to energy efficiency, Energy Services can also substantially augment energy savings and efficiency while lessening both private and public sectors’ operating costs. Their maturity level differs significantly among the EU Member States. The thesis explores the EU Energy Service market’s current status and its growth perspectives. To that end, it pursues a genuine Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis, leveraging an extensive literature review and a subsequent qualitative study, which results in eight challenges clusters, commonly shared by Strengths and Weaknesses, and seven clusters, jointly attributed to Opportunities and Threats. As it is revealed, the three chief Strengths’ clusters address Product, Technology and Sustainability & Climate Change aspects while those of Weaknesses are related to Economic, Product and Technology issues. As regards Opportunities, the three predominant clusters are associated with the Broader Market, Legislation and Social & Energy Transition while those of Threats with the Social & Energy Transition, Technical & Administration and Awareness & Communication challenges. Since the Opportunities prove to outperform all other SWOT pillars, recommendations are drawn for the paths that the EU should pursue, to unravel Energy Services’ great potential. The Energy Services’ positive impact, on both the EU’s energy transformation and its collaborations within and outside Europe, is also being reflected.

Demand Side Response (DSR) concept, although not a contemporary idea in the energy policy field, has sprung during the recent years. European Union’s Energy and Climate policy framework has adopted various forms of the concept at all levels of consumption, from large industrial customers up to small households. Having as a policy spearhead the energy efficiency, DSR has been integrated to and promoted through various legislative initiatives within the EU, such as the Energy Union, various energy related directives (Electricity, Energy Efficiency, State Aid), the Network Codes and the Clean Energy Package. DSR programs vary to a large extend and they can be adjusted to many different electricity markets schemes, exhibiting a rather complex classification. In Europe, numerous DSR programs have been established in many countries. In Greece in particular, although the energy market cannot be characterized as a mature one, there is a specific scheme that engages large industrial consumers (HV and MV) to the DSR concept. This is the so called Interruptible Load Service Auction (ILSA) scheme, which runs during the last 4 years under the auspices and management of the Greek TSO. The program is based on load curtailment on-demand from the Greek TSO side towards the consumers. The consumers are being remunerated for their availability to curtail specific loads that have been contracted through an auction procedure that takes place several times throughout a year. In this thesis, the ILSA scheme is analyzed in detailed, both as far as its legal and operational framework is concerned, as well as far as the types of consumers that participate to it. Following the abovementioned analysis, the participation of the Hellenic Petroleum Aspropyrgos Industrial Complex (HELPE-AIC) is assessed as a case study, while at the section of the concluding remarks, some noticeable suggestions for the further penetration of the scheme to the Greek energy market are presented, as well as for HELPE-AIC’s further engagement to the scheme.

Η παρούσα έρευνα εξετάζει ενδελεχώς τη δυνατότητα και τις συνέπειες διαφόρων στρατηγικών τιμολόγησης του άνθρακα στη βιομηχανία ναυτιλιακών μεταφορών, έναν τομέα που συμβάλλει σημαντικά στις παγκόσμιες εκπομπές CO2. Λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη διεθνή φύση της ναυτιλίας, η ίδρυση ενός παγκοσμίως αναγνωρισμένου και συνεπούς μηχανισμού τιμολόγησης του άνθρακα αντιμετωπίζει πολλές προκλήσεις, αλλά προσφέρει και σημαντικές ευκαιρίες. Η εργασία πραγματεύεται το υφιστάμενο κανονιστικό πλαίσιο, πρόσφατα υιοθετημένους κανονισμούς και προτάσεις, καθώς και προοπτικούς οικονομικούς μηχανισμούς βασισμένους στην αγορά, παρέχοντας μια ανάλυση των μοναδικών τους χαρακτηριστικών και των αμοιβαίων διαφορών. Πραγματοποιείται μελέτη γύρω από το νεοεισαγόμενο Σύστημα Εμπορίας Εκπομπών της ΕΕ και τον κανονισμό FuelEU για τη ναυτιλία, που εφαρμόζονται και οι δύο από την ΕΕ – έναν κορυφαίο περιφερειακό νομοθέτη. Η έρευνα εξετάζει διάφορες διαστάσεις αυτών των μέτρων και τις επιπτώσεις στη ναυτιλιακή βιομηχανία, καθώς και την αναφορά στις εμπειρίες αυτών των μηχανισμών σε άλλους τομείς και γεωγραφικές δικαιοδοσίες. Περαιτέρω σκέψεις ανακύπτουν επίσης γύρω από τον καθορισμό των επιπέδων τιμολόγησης του άνθρακα, την ταυτοποίηση του ποιος επωμίζεται το κόστος και την κατανόηση της δημιουργίας νέων πηγών εσόδων. Τα ευρήματα υποδεικνύουν ότι παρόλο που δεν υπάρχει καμία μοναδική λύση που να είναι εφαρμόσιμη παντού, ένας καλά δομημένος μηχανισμός τιμολόγησης του άνθρακα έχει τη δυνατότητα να μειώσει όχι μόνο τις εκπομπές αλλά και να παροτρύνει την τεχνολογική πρόοδο και την αποδοτικότητα εντός του ναυτιλιακού τομέα. Η έρευνα τονίζει την επιτακτική ανάγκη για διεθνή συνεργασία και αυστηρή ρύθμιση για να εγγυηθεί την αποτελεσματικότητα ενός τέτοιου σχεδίου. Συνεισφέροντας στην αναδυόμενη γνώση γύρω από το ρόλο των MBM στην παγκόσμια ναυτιλία, αυτή η έρευνα λειτουργεί ως πολύτιμος πόρος για διάφορους ενδιαφερόμενους στη ναυτιλιακή βιομηχανία. Βοηθά στην καλύτερη κατανόηση του δυναμικού διάφορων οικονομικών μέτρων για τη ναυτιλία και παρέχει καθοδήγηση για τη μετάβαση προς βιώσιμες στρατηγικές.

Η «Ατζέντα του Οργανισμού των Ηνωμένων Εθνών (ΟΗΕ) για τη Βιώσιμη Ανάπτυξη 2030» καλεί τις επιχειρήσεις να εφαρμόσουν πρωτοβουλίες, τη δημιουργικότητα τους και καινοτομίες για την αντιμετώπιση των προκλήσεων της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης. Υπό αυτή την έννοια, η παρούσα διατριβή προτείνει ένα μοντέλο βιωσιμότητας για επιχειρηματική χρήση. Το μοντέλο θα διευκολύνει τις επιχειρήσεις στην επιλογή των κατάλληλων δεικτών Βιώσιμης Ανάπτυξης (SDG indicators), όπως και θα τονίσει πιθανά «κενά» βιωσιμότητας που ενδεχομένως υφίστανται. Για την ανάπτυξη του μοντέλου βιωσιμότητας, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν βασικές οικονομικές αρχές (όπως για παράδειγμα η θεωρία ελαχιστοποίησης του κόστους και η θεωρία κινδύνου), μια έρευνα στον τομέα της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης καθώς και μια στατιστική μελέτη βασισμένη σε δεδομένα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν να διαμορφωθεί ένα ποσοτικό μοντέλο για την αξιολόγηση της βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης των οργανισμών, και μέσω αυτού να διευκολύνεται η λήψη των κατάλληλων αποφάσεων για τη διαμόρφωση μια ορθής πολιτικής. Το μοντέλο δοκιμάστηκε σε πραγματικές συνθήκες, υπό τη μορφή μελέτης περίπτωσης (case study), που πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Ελληνική Επιτροπή Ατομικής Ενέργειας.

It is a fact over the past years, the considerable increase of tourism activities has become a big issue of growing concern. While the majority of tourists in Antarctica travel on ships that carry large numbers of passengers, an increased number of travelers decide to visit Antarctica as individual tourists, in smaller groups. This non-stop growing demand for activity-based tourism and new activities such as kayaking, snowboarding, climbing, or scuba diving are starting to attract the attention of more and more travelers. This study analyzes the legal framework in places such as the Antarctic System (ATS) that was signed by several States and establishes this region as an international area dedicated to research and science. Tourism in Antarctica is a well-established and profitable industry, however, this increased activity in Antarctica could endanger the fragile environment in the case of a catastrophic maritime accident. This research examines the regulatory framework relating to the environmental protection of Antarctica by evaluating past accidents and at the same time factorizing the increasing presence of cruise ships in this pristine polar area. In order to succeed this, it is crucial to understand how this activity is regulated, what are the factors that jeopardize the environment, which are the instruments created by IMO and private parties to deal with this issue, and finally, assess if these regulations are enough to ensure safe operations. A thorough literature review regarding the extended regulatory framework (IAATO, Antarctic Treaty) was conducted. In addition, examining the level of conformity of the operators and the effectiveness of the inspection realized by member States of the ATS was included. The results indicate that the regulations have a positive impact on the operation ensuring best practices in order to protect the environment, although, certain incidents demonstrate the need to enhance safe operations in the continent. The issue of manning levels is clearly standing out as an issue of further investigation in order to safely and effectively conduct high manning levels operation in this hostile environment, with very adverse weather conditions.

The current global energy crisis demonstrates that energy is a fundamental aspect of international relations and politics, as well as the driving force behind social progress. This thesis aimed to highlight the relationship between geothermal energy and geopolitics, which has received little academic attention. In the literature review, the technical characteristics, technologies, and applications of geothermal energy, along with its competitive technological and economic advantages are elucidated. Subsequently, the geopolitical value that geothermal energy possesses is presented and discussed, with a special focus on the concept of geopolitics, its prominent theoreticians, and the elements that synthesize the contemporary geopolitical landscape. Highlights on the geopolitical significance of geothermal energy were compiled and presented, sourced from leading international institutions and research studies. This thesis contributed to the state of the art by demonstrating how this renewable energy source, which is expected to become an essential component of the global green energy future, is capable of mitigating climate change, altering the dependance relations between countries, enhancing energy security, and thus influencing global politics, despite its current marginal role.