Cyprus wasted a staggering 167,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy in 2024 due to insufficient storage infrastructure, leaving MPs and solar panel owners frustrated as electricity bills continue to rise.
Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Commerce, Industry, Energy, and Tourism expressed their dismay over the significant loss of energy, which could have been utilized during periods of peak demand. The lack of planning for energy storage infrastructure has left the country’s renewable energy potential untapped, with no clear strategy from the government on how to store and distribute the surplus energy generated from renewable sources.
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The committee criticized both the government and key agencies, including the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) and the Ministry of Energy, for their lack of coordination. Committee Chairman Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis from the Disy party blasted the authorities for their “absolute absence of policy,” accusing them of misleading citizens into investing in solar panels without ensuring the necessary grid and storage infrastructure was in place to support it.
Akel MP Costas Costa echoed this frustration, pointing out that many areas of Cyprus can no longer accommodate additional solar power due to grid limitations. “People who installed solar panels to save on energy costs are now facing electricity bills of €300-400, compared to €60-70 just two months ago,” Costa said, blaming past decisions for the ongoing crisis.
MPs have called on the government and the EAC to provide answers on when grid upgrades will allow the full integration of solar power. Despite plans for a storage system covering large solar parks, it remains unclear when households will benefit from the system. The committee also urged for a digital tracking system for photovoltaic (PV) applications to ensure greater transparency.
In response, Dipa MP Michalis Giakoumis accused the government of dishonesty, describing the situation as “borderline fraud” and demanding a roadmap for energy storage to prevent further losses of renewable energy.
