Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid a visit to the industrial battery manufacturer Sunlight Group and the Thrace Greenhouses hydroponic facilities in Xanthi, northeastern Greece, on Thursday, ANA reports.
At Sunlight Group’s facilities, Mitsotakis referred to the export of the key manufacturer’s batteries and the company’s contribution to energy storage units. “We do not always have sunshine and it is not windy every day, therefore storing energy is key to increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) in the mix for the production of electricity,” the premier said. RES is related to both large-scale photovoltaics and those built by Sunlight for homes, which could be used in the subsidy program for households called “Photovoltaics on the roof”. Finding a way to store energy would stabilize the entire energy-producing system, he added.
At the Thrace Greenhouses facilities, which belong to the Thrace Group, the premier was briefed about the hydroponic system of agricultural production that uses geothermal energy from the Neo Erasmio beds, south of Xanthi. The unit has a nearly neutral carbon footprint, despite being the largest such greenhouse in southeastern Europe. The specific hydroponic system also uses roughly 90% less water than conventional cultivation methods, the premier was told.
The company will invest 14 million euros to expand the greenhouses by 13 hectares (130 stremmas) by 2026. Currently, 230 people work at the greenhouse unit, and plans are to hire another 130 in the next 4 years, officials said.
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