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That’s a good start, now if only the Greek government would allow us individuals to use wind and solar energy (with a proper plan including a battery storage sy

That’s a good start, now if only the Greek government would allow us individuals to use wind and solar energy (with a proper plan including a battery storage system) without breaking the law. It’s illegal to own a house not connected to the national grid.

oh_sigh 8y ago
Can't you be connected to the grid on part of the house, say the garage, but not the rest?
- therein 8y ago
  Yeah but it removes one of the benefits of having a house that's entirely self-sustaining in terms of power: not having to put in all that infrastructure in place to bring the power there.
walrus01 8y ago
Would it be legal to connect a house to the national grid, and attach the meter to a whole panel that has basically one live 230V 10A circuit on it, with a 15W lightbulb connected? The rest of the house could have its own offgrid panel and inverter system, islanded from the grid-connected breaker panel.
- NKosmatos 8y ago
  To answer your question (and a similar comment directly below) that's one solution, but you still have to pay monthly charges and taxes even if you have a "dummy" connection. Besides the fact that if the utility worker that checks the electricity meters (yeah they're not online!), comes around for a reading and sees that you have solar/wind you're screwed.
  - walrus01 8y ago
    You're screwed how? Because it's not allowed to have a photovoltaic system that is separate from and islanded from the grid? As long as your meter and the panel it is connected to are up to legal code, what is illegal?
pulse7 8y ago
Are the Athos monasteries also connected to the grid? (According to the night photos they seem to have lighting.)
- tpaschalis 8y ago
  A quick Google search gave me a couple of sources [1][2] (sorry, it's in Greek, but Google Translate can work) As far as I understand, some small parts near the north are indeed connected to the grid, some use photovoltaics/solar energy, and some just use generators or no electricity at all. The first article cites 9000€ spent for generator fuel per year for the Police Station in Karyes, the capital of the Athos peninsula. The way I understand it, is that the monasteries try to be as self-dependent as possible, the logistics of building large-scale infrastructure are too big (for a variety of reasons, and thus, small-scale solutions are preferred). [1] http://newpost.gr/ellada/619145/ieres-mpiznes-me-to-amartwlo-fws-arnoyntai-thn-hlektrodothsh-oi-monaxoi-toy-agioy-oroys-protimoyn-ta-fwtobolta-ka http://newpost.gr/ellada/619145/ieres-mpiznes-me-to-amartwlo... [2] http://www.photovoltaic.gr/el/master/page/portfolio/%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%B1-%CF%86%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B2%CE%BF%CE%BB%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1-%CF%83%CF%85%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1-266/%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82 http://www.photovoltaic.gr/el/master/page/portfolio/%CE%B1%C...

oh_sigh 8y ago

Can't you be connected to the grid on part of the house, say the garage, but not the rest?

therein 8y ago
Yeah but it removes one of the benefits of having a house that's entirely self-sustaining in terms of power: not having to put in all that infrastructure in place to bring the power there.

walrus01 8y ago

Would it be legal to connect a house to the national grid, and attach the meter to a whole panel that has basically one live 230V 10A circuit on it, with a 15W lightbulb connected? The rest of the house could have its own offgrid panel and inverter system, islanded from the grid-connected breaker panel.

NKosmatos 8y ago
To answer your question (and a similar comment directly below) that's one solution, but you still have to pay monthly charges and taxes even if you have a "dummy" connection. Besides the fact that if the utility worker that checks the electricity meters (yeah they're not online!), comes around for a reading and sees that you have solar/wind you're screwed.
- walrus01 8y ago
  You're screwed how? Because it's not allowed to have a photovoltaic system that is separate from and islanded from the grid? As long as your meter and the panel it is connected to are up to legal code, what is illegal?

pulse7 8y ago

Are the Athos monasteries also connected to the grid? (According to the night photos they seem to have lighting.)

tpaschalis 8y ago
A quick Google search gave me a couple of sources [1][2] (sorry, it's in Greek, but Google Translate can work) As far as I understand, some small parts near the north are indeed connected to the grid, some use photovoltaics/solar energy, and some just use generators or no electricity at all. The first article cites 9000€ spent for generator fuel per year for the Police Station in Karyes, the capital of the Athos peninsula. The way I understand it, is that the monasteries try to be as self-dependent as possible, the logistics of building large-scale infrastructure are too big (for a variety of reasons, and thus, small-scale solutions are preferred). [1] http://newpost.gr/ellada/619145/ieres-mpiznes-me-to-amartwlo-fws-arnoyntai-thn-hlektrodothsh-oi-monaxoi-toy-agioy-oroys-protimoyn-ta-fwtobolta-ka http://newpost.gr/ellada/619145/ieres-mpiznes-me-to-amartwlo... [2] http://www.photovoltaic.gr/el/master/page/portfolio/%CE%B1%CF%85%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CE%BC%CE%B1-%CF%86%CF%89%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%B2%CE%BF%CE%BB%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1-%CF%83%CF%85%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1-266/%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%CE%BD-%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%82 http://www.photovoltaic.gr/el/master/page/portfolio/%CE%B1%C...