Greece plans a €200 million programme to fund heat pumps and solar water heaters for 100,000 beneficiaries, the finance ministry said on 9 October 2026. It follows European Commission approval of an energy “escape clause” for Greece.
The clause lets Greece leave certain energy-resilience spending outside the EU’s limit on net primary expenditure growth, according to the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. The exemption is up to 0.3% of GDP a year and 0.6% in total by 2028. The ministry expects new investment of close to €1 billion by 2028, funded from national resources. Greece sent its request on 6 August.
Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said the decision applies only to Greece.
What is in the package
The ministry listed these items:
- A nationwide heat pump and solar water heater programme: €200 million, 100,000 beneficiaries.
- A Just Development Transition scheme for heat pumps, solar water heaters and rooftop solar panels with batteries: €50 million, 10,000 beneficiaries in Western Macedonia and Megalopolis.
- Battery storage subsidies for renewables: €200 million.
- Energy upgrades of 109 older public and university buildings (€117 million) and 246 schools and nurseries (€45 million).
- Rail works (€320 million), carbon capture (€50 million) and bus charging stations (€20 million).
The ministry has not yet published subsidy rates, income limits, eligible types of home or a start date for the household programmes. The scheme is announced, not open.
What it means for buyers
For buyers of older Greek homes, heating and hot water are often the first upgrades. A subsidised heat pump or solar water heater could lower that cost, if the buyer qualifies. It is not yet known whether non-resident owners, second homes or rented homes will be eligible.
Buyers planning a renovation should also look at the Anakainizo renovation scheme and its conditions, which bars short-term letting for five years. Until the rules are published, it is not known which purchases will qualify, so owners should check the terms before ordering equipment with a grant in mind. Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
What happens next
The detailed terms should come in a ministerial decision or programme guide. We will report them once published.
Sources
- Ministry of National Economy and Finance: statement by Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis on the energy escape clause, 9 October 2026
- Ministry of National Economy and Finance: press release on the European Commission’s approval of the energy escape clause, 9 October 2026
