Over 70 participants took part in this Energy Academy that covered all pillars – local authorities, academia and educational institutions, local businesses and civic organisations. The people that joined in person were 17 and 19 on the first and second day respectively. In parallel, on average 50 people joined online.
In order to achieve the islands’ transition to clean energy, increased penetration of RES will be required.
Increased penetration of RES from an economic point of view is achieved to a high degree when we have interconnection, so, interconnections play an important role and in this respect, they are considered energy transition projects. Nevertheless, alternative ways of increasing RES penetration via energy storage solutions, such as batteries or pumped hydro projects have also been discussed.
According to the positions of the Steering Committee for the Just Transition Development Plan (SDAM), the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO), the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or ADMIE) and the Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE), Greece has islands with clear interconnection plans and islands with no clear interconnection plans.
By 2024, there will be interconnection between:
- 10 Cycladic islands (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Syros, Paros, Naxos, Santorini, Folegandros, Milos, Serifos),
- Crete with Attica, and
- Skiathos (the islands of Skopelos and Alonissos will benefit) with Evia.
- By 2029, the Dodecanese and the NE Aegean will be interconnected, while the Ionian Islands network will be upgraded.
- A spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment said that the bill on hybrid RES stations combined with energy storage technologies is currently under consultation. For islands, in particular, its adoption will solve grid saturation problems.
Offshore wind farms will play a crucial role in future energy planning, despite concerns about impacts on marine fauna, flora, tourism, coastal transport and fisheries.
A spatial planning review is underway, a very important tool for the development of the Blue Economy. The lack of progress on spatial planning emerged as one of the key challenges hindering the development of RES projects on islands. It is vital to prepare spatial plans following participatory processes with environmental organisations, local communities and other stakeholders to accommodate concerns about land use tensions (RES vs agriculture vs tourism vs biodiversity) and address scepticism about the installation of RES projects.
In addition, Halki was presented as the first GrecoIsland, for the exploitation of renewable energy sources and the upgrading of its digital infrastructure, in the framework of the National Initiative (GrecoIslands).
An essential demonstration is an e-ferry technology and the local deployment of traditional electric boats, which can be used to run short routes between islands. In general, electromobility in transport is desirable to be combined with renewable energy production to constitute clean transport.
It should be noted that there should be a transfer of know-how and exchange of experience from good practices in the implementation of pilot projects to design more advanced projects. Concerning this, the need for a specialised national islands’ helpdesk was highlighted. Especially, for the facilitation of knowledge exchange vis-à-vis best practices, policies, instruments and programs for the development and implementation of the energy transition of islands.
The need for a holistic approach when dealing with the energy transition of islands has also been stressed. An approach that connects the topics of energy, transport, water desalination, and waste management, making use of the synergies that emerge.
The ultimate goal of all the above is the transition of the islands to clean energy and the transformation of the local economy based on the adequacy of energy supply, accessibility to low-cost energy with respect to people and the environment.
Find all presentations below.
Day 1:
Welcome by Dr Lambros Pyrgiotis, General Director CRES:
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Antonia Proka from the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat:
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Pelopidas Kalliris & Alexandra Mavrogenatou
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Antonis Marinos:
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Charalambidis Yiannis:
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Theodora Patsaka:
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Michael Hadjipanos:
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Athanasios Dagoumas:
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Dr. Spyros Oikonomou:
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Maria Kakali:
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Efstathios Kontos:
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Evangelos Fraggakis:
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Nikolaos Komineas:
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Roundtable discussion: Challenges and opportunities for the energy transition of Greek Islands
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Dr. Evangelos Rikos:
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Dr. George Ageridis:
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Minas Papadakis:
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Day 2:
Dr. Theocharis Tsoutsos:
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Dr. Ioannis Kaldelis:
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Markos Damasiotis:
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Konstantinos Natsis:
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Dr. Dimitris Katsaprakakis:
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Yiannis Gylis:
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Dimitris Kollias:
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Avraam Kartalidis:
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Petros Markopoulos:
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Dr. Dimitris Xevgenos:
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Annie Kortsari:
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Sozon Kamitsis & Maria Zarkadoula:
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Find the presentation of Sozon Kamistis here.
Find the presentation of Maria Zarkadoula here.