Island facts
Megisti is the easternmost and most isolated region of Greece, located 520 km from the mainland. The island is neither electrically interconnected, nor are there any relevant national plans for the future. With no RES installed as of today, all electricity is currently generated by a diesel thermal power station. Despite Megisti’s small size, electricity demand shows very high seasonality, mostly due to the large diaspora. Transport on the island relies almost exclusively on conventional vehicles, while transport to/from the island is handled either by ferries running on fossil fuel or through a small airfield connecting Megisti to Rhodes island. The heating and cooling needs of the islanders are mostly met with low-efficiency means.
The Municipality of Megisti applied to the Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat for Technical Assistance in March 2022, with the objective of developing a Clean Energy Transition Agenda (CETA), in order to acquire a strategic roadmap for the clean energy transition process designed by the local community. Now, through the participation in the 30, 100% renewable islands for 2030 initiative, Megisti aims to update and finalise its CETA with a vision of 100% RES for all aspects of the energy system, while following a holistic approach for the sustainable use of the scarce land and water resources of the island. The energy transition Trajectory, mostly in line with #REPowerEU objectives, refers to (i) RES generation and energy storage suitably sized for the demand’s seasonality, (ii) electrification of road and sea transport, and (iii) adoption of energy-efficient technologies for heating and cooling. Of utmost importance is the examination of participatory business models, including islanders and business, that will further allow the mitigation of energy poverty and the facilitation of self-consumption and active client schemes.