• In the context of the Sustainability actions as well as the creation of Mutual Value with the Local Societies, Enel Green Power Hellas presents an original sustainability roadtrip in Greece,

Enel Green Power Hellas, since 2008, has made a decisive contribution to the sustainable development and prosperity of the regions in which it operates.. The company’s activity in over 20 different geographical units has “responded” over the years to local needs through dozens of sustainability programs , sustainability and social solidarity.

From Achaia to Kozani and from South Evia to Crete, the people of Enel Green Power Hellas in collaboration with Local Agencies and Societies have created relationships of mutual value. And as the company completes 15 years of active business presence in Greece this year, it created a travel, atmospheric and green roadtrip capturing a part of these sustainability programs. The short film demonstrates the company’s substantial social contribution through sustainable initiatives.

Watch the short film:

The trip started from Kalavryta, and the “Lithos” wind farm. The park is located at an altitude of 1600m. and in 2021 Enel Green Power Hellas co-organized the 43rd “Thysias” bicycle tour, whose route passed by the wind farm. In this way, the residents of the local community got to know better the work being done and the benefits for the area. Since then, the company has been standing next to the Cycling Federation and its President Vassilis Diamantopoulos said characteristically: “We collaborated with Enel Green Power because we have common goals: the reduction of air pollution as well as the green footprint for the environment. It was the largest participation of all time in this event with over 400 entries, something unprecedented for Greek standards and we are very satisfied with the cooperation with the company”.

The next stop of the trip was Western Macedonia and Kozani, where the “Vamvakies” photovoltaic park is in operation. As part of the project, the company, in collaboration with Wise Greece, CluBE and the Municipality of Kozani, created the award-winning educational program “Vamvakies, a social green project”, which aims to promote agri-food entrepreneurship. Through the program, 250 young men and women were trained in entrepreneurship issues, while at the same time an active group of women is already in the photovoltaic park planting aromatic herbs, with the ultimate goal of creating the first series of agricultural products in Europe through a photovoltaic park.

In addition, in the village of Polymylos, the company actively supports the local community with continuous various initiatives. As Spyros Avramidis, President of the Polymill Community, said: “We were lucky to have a company like Enel Green Power close to us. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Company offered technology equipment to primary school children so that they could attend their lessons remotely, while in consultation with the village doctor, it donated equipment to the Health Center, helping people in the area who do not have they can be taken to a hospital.”

The journey continued to Heraklion, Crete, where for several years, alongside the operation of its projects, Enel Green Power Hellas has been undertaking initiatives for the local community and the protection of birds of prey that pass through the area. Such an action is implemented in the Kouloukona and Agios Kyrillos wind farms located at an altitude of over 1000m. There, in collaboration with the Museum of Natural History and the University of Crete, the flights of the birds were studied and, based on the results of the studies, feeders were placed in specific parts of the surrounding mountains, on routes far from the wind farms in the area. So, on days with heavy clouds, the birds head to the feeders to feed and continue their journey. Michalis Probonas, Head of the Ecology Laboratory of the University of Crete, emphasized that, “our collaboration with Enel Green Power has been started for many years through poultry/bird monitoring programs related to the Company’s power plants in Crete. Since 2019, we have been implementing programs in Crete, which have to do with the operation and monitoring of feeders, i.e. areas where food is provided to the birds of prey in the area, in order to be able to strengthen the population of these birds, having dropped about 12 tons of food into the feeders which strengthen their population”.

The roadtrip was completed in Southern Evia, specifically in Karystos. In the area is the largest array of wind farms in Greece, Kafireas. Enel Green Power Hellas, since the start of the construction of the park, has been close to the local community, supporting associations and organizations in the area. Among the initiatives it has taken is the reforestation of the historic forest of Kastanologgos, which has shrunk by 40% and could disappear in a few years. The company’s intervention, with a total funding of 2 million euros, aims to stop this reduction, taking action in 240 acres of the existing forest and planting new trees in the surrounding 400 acres. In total, then, the project will bring new life to 640 acres, roughly equivalent to 90 football fields. At the same time, he supports the actions of the Bicycle Association “Anemos” and the Disabled Protection Association “Hand-Hand”. Gerasimos Lykoudis, President of the Cycling Association “Anemos” characteristically stated: “Enel Green Power is our valuable ally and provides us with continuous support for every event or activity we organize. Recently we also did an event exclusively for young children, which had all the toys we remember from our childhood.” In his turn, Giorgos Pantelis, Secretary of the “Heri-Heri” club, emphasized that “with the van donated to us by Enel Green Power Hellas, all the needs of the club are served, such as the transport of disabled people, external activities and any other transportation need”.

Regarding the feature film, the Head of Communication of Enel Green Power Hellas, Konstantinos Efraimidis, said: “Since 2008, we have made a decisive contribution not only to the national effort for green energy, but we have proven that we stand next to the local communities in which we operate following the Creating model Shared Value. This trip to the four geographical units, comes to confirm and capture in the most creative way that we create essential mutual values ​​with the societies where we have parks. The journey continues and we will soon present our other green initiatives.”

Wanting to promote the principles of solidarity, generosity and substantial social contribution, Enel Green Power Hellas promotes a sustainable development model that cultivates relationships of trust with the residents of the areas where it operates, while supporting the transition to clean forms of energy.