sustainability Article The Efforts towards and Challenges of Greece’s Post-Lignite Era: The Case of Megalopolis Vangelis Marinakis 1,* , Alexandros Flamos 2 , Giorgos Stamtsis 1, Ioannis Georgizas 3, Yannis Maniatis 4 and Haris Doukas 1 1 School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15773 Athens, Greece; [email protected] (G.S.); [email protected] (H.D.) 2 Technoeconomics of Energy Systems Laboratory (TEESlab), Department of Industrial Management and Technology, University of Piraeus, 18534 Piraeus, Greece; afl[email protected] 3 Cities Network “Sustainable City”, 16562 Athens, Greece; [email protected] 4 Department of Digital Systems, University of Piraeus, 18534 Piraeus, Greece; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 8 November 2020; Accepted: 15 December 2020; Published: 17 December 2020 Abstract: Greece has historically been one of the most lignite-dependent countries in Europe, due to the abundant coal resources in the region of Western Macedonia and the municipality of Megalopolis, Arcadia (region of Peloponnese). However, a key part of the National Energy and Climate Plan is to gradually phase out the use of lignite, which includes the decommissioning of all existing lignite units by 2023, except the Ptolemaida V unit, which will be closed by 2028. This plan makes Greece a frontrunner among countries who intensively use lignite in energy production. In this context, this paper investigates the environmental, economic, and social state of Megalopolis and the related perspectives with regard to the energy transition, through the elaboration of a SWOT analysis, highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the municipality of Megalopolis and the regional unit of Arcadia. The analysis is based on four main pillars, namely “clean energy”, “smart agricultural production”, “sustainable tourism”, and “other (e.g., industry, technology, and education)”. The integration of the “Energy Efficiency First” principle, the mitigation of household energy poverty (especially in a region with district heating installations), and collectively driven energy actions for engaging and empowering younger generations (e.g., in the form of next-generation energy communities) are among the solutions that are expected to have a significant contribution towards Megalopolis’ just energy transition. Keywords: just energy transition; sustainable development; renewable energy; energy efficiency first; next-generation energy communities; energy poverty; SWOT; lignite; coal; Megalopolis 1. Introduction Our planet is facing a vast variety of hazards related to climate change. It has already affected the frequency and intensity of a great variety of meteorological phenomena, such as extreme temperatures, wildfires, heat waves, floods, and droughts [1,2]. The main reason is the grave augmentation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, and especially carbon dioxide (CO2), which is related to the greenhouse effect [3]. CO2 emissions derive from a variety of human activities related to the use of fossil fuels. For example, the use of gasoline for transportation is interwoven with the increase of CO2 emissions. Nonetheless, electricity production is the sector connected with the highest GHG emissions (almost one-third of the CO2 emissions globally are accounted to the power sector) [4], since fossil fuels continue to dominate in the mix of electricity production methods [5]. Therefore, one of the most Sustainability 2020, 12, 10575; doi:10.3390/su122410575 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2020, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 21 Sustainability 2020, 12, 10575 2 of 21 [5]. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to counter this phenomenon is the reduction of electricity production from fossil fuels, and especially lignite which is less efficient and more epollutingffective ways [6,7]. to counter this phenomenon is the reduction of electricity production from fossil fuels, and especiallyThis transition lignite can which be achieved is less effi throughcient and the more increase polluting of renewable [6,7]. energy sources (RESs) in the energyThis mix, transition such as canwind, be solar achieved photovoltaics, through the hydro, increase bioe ofnergy, renewable and geothermal energy sources sources, (RESs) as well in the as energycoal-fired mix, power such plants as wind, with solar carbon photovoltaics, capture and hydro, utilisation/storage bioenergy, and [8]. geothermal Despite the sources, beneficiary as well effect as coal-firedof the transition power plantsfrom withlignite carbon to cleaner capture energy and utilisation resources,/storage there [is8]. also Despite a negative the beneficiary side [9]. e ffTheect oftransition the transition will fromlead ligniteto the toreduced cleaner energyoperation resources, of various there lignite is also aplants negative and side eventually [9]. The transition to their willshutdown. lead to In the this reduced respect, operation rising unemployment of various lignite rate, plants increasing and eventually poverty, and to their declining shutdown. professional In this respect,opportunities rising for unemployment younger generations rate, increasing determine poverty, continuous and declining degradation professional and rising opportunities depopulation for in youngercoal regions generations [10]. Literature determine underlines continuous that degradationin regions where and rising the major depopulation economic in sector coal regionsis related [10 to]. Literaturemining activities, underlines people that have in regions a lower where GDP/per the major capita economic than the sectornational is relatedaverage, to due mining to the activities, limited peopledevelopment have a of lower other GDP sectors/per and capita the thanexclusive the national dependency average, on the due coal to theindustry. limited These development regions are of othercharacterized sectors and as “coal the exclusive lock-in” economies, dependency because on the coal coal mining industry. activity These is regionsso dominant are characterized [11]. However, as “coalthis is lock-in” not the economies, case in Greece because since coal the mining region activity of Western is so dominant Macedonia [11]. and However, the municipality this is not the of caseMegalopolis in Greece have since a theper regioncapita ofGDP Western close to, Macedonia or even higher and the than, municipality the national of Megalopolis average. have a per capitaLocal GDP community close to, or evenperspectives higher than, in mining the national areas average.have been analysed in the literature [12,13]. KarasmanakiLocal community et al. (2020) perspectives investigated in miningthe atti areastudes havetowards been new analysed investments in the in literature lignite mining [12,13]. Karasmanakiamong residents et al. living (2020) in investigated Western Macedonia the attitudes [14]. towards Moreover, new Stognief investments et al. in(2019) lignite [15] mining analysed among the residentseconomic living resilience in Western of German Macedonia lignite [14 regions]. Moreover, in transition, Stognief defined et al. (2019) as “adaptive [15] analysed capacity”, the economic using resilienceHolling’s adaptive of German cycle lignite model. regions Multi-level in transition, perspective defined framework as “adaptive has been capacity”, adopted using to analyse Holling’s the adaptivesustainable cycle and model. socially Multi-level just transition perspective [16,17]. framework The sustainable has been rehabilitation adopted to analyseof surface the coal sustainable mining andareas socially has been just investigated transition [16 based,17]. Theon a sustainable PEST (polit rehabilitationical, economic, of surfacesocial, and coal technological) mining areashas analysis been investigated[18]. based on a PEST (political, economic, social, and technological) analysis [18]. AchievingAchieving aa justjust energyenergy transitiontransition isis aa challengechallenge forfor countriescountries thatthat combinecombine thethe extensiveextensive useuse ofof coalcoal asas aa fuelfuel forfor powerpower generationgeneration withwith aa significantsignificant historyhistory ofof coalcoal miningmining [[19].19]. ManyMany EuropeanEuropean countriescountries (e.g.,(e.g., Germany,Germany, Poland,Poland, CzechCzech Republic,Republic, Bulgaria,Bulgaria, Serbia,Serbia, Greece,Greece, Romania,Romania, etc.)etc.) dependdepend heavilyheavily onon solidsolid fossilfossil fuelsfuels forfor theirtheir electricityelectricity production,production, especiallyespecially lignitelignite [[20],20], sincesince Europe’sEurope’s subsoilsubsoil isis rich rich in in lignite lignite resources resources (Figure (Figure1). Therefore, 1). Therefore, a transition a transition to a more to environmentallya more environmentally friendly electricityfriendly electricity production production is necessary is necessary for Europe for [ 21Europe]. [21]. Figure 1. Primary production from lignite in European countries (2009 and 2018), Source: Eurostat [22]. Figure 1. Primary production from lignite in European countries (2009 and 2018), Source: Eurostat [22]. In the European Union (EU), climate policies, high carbon prices, and the increased competition In the European Union (EU), climate policies, high carbon prices, and the increased competition from renewables and gas in the power sector have contributed to a 15% fall in coal production in from renewables and gas in the power sector have contributed