Gavdos

Gavdos is a small island in the prefecture of Chania and the Region of Crete, located south of the island of Crete and is the southernmost Greek and European tip.  The island is located 22 nautical miles south of Chora Sfakion, and its area is 30 square kilometres. According to the 2021 national census of the Hellenic Statistical Authority, Gavdos has a population of 142 inhabitants. The total number of people on the island can exceed 1,500, most of whom are campers. The island’s port is Karave, while the capital is Kastri. The southernmost inhabited village is called Vatsiana, and it is the southernmost settlement in Greece and the European continent simultaneously.

Over the last five years, the average island's annual electricity consumption has been approximately 550 MWh, and it comes exclusively from oil generators installed on the Island. The average annual peak load is approximately 0.19 MW.

As part of the Follower Islands programme, our aim is to effectively meet the significantly increased electricity demand during the summer months, which can be three times higher than in the winter. Due to its reliance on a local thermal station fueled by diesel oil, the island has among the highest electricity generation costs among all non-interconnected Greek islands. To address this, we aim to implement measures such as enhancing energy efficiency and increasing coverage from renewable energy sources, primarily through photovoltaics.