Pantelleria

Pantelleria is the largest "small island" in the Sicily Region. It is located in the Strait of Sicily, Mediterranian Sea, between Sicily and Tunisia. Its area measures 83 square kilometres and counts about 7,800 inhabitants in winter and about 30,000 in the summertime.

The first evidence of human activity dates back to the Neolithic period by "sesioti". Afterwards, it was occupied by Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Aragoneses, Spaniards, Italians. In the past, the main economic activity was agriculture. The agricultural practice of the "vite ad alberello" cultivation was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. 

Its main agricultural product is the "Passito di Pantelleria" wine. In the last decades, the main economic activity became tourism. 
The main natural attractions are "Specchio di Venere", "Arco dell'Elefante", "Laghetto delle Ondine", "Balata dei Turchi", and the Gadir Pools. Many tourists own a "Dammuso", the characteristic Pantelleria houses made of local volcanic stones.

The island has a set of natural saunas fed by vapours filtering through rocks. This is the reason why Pantelleria is considered a natural free spa.

Montagna Grande rises above the centre of the island.  It is about 830 metres high, covered by maritime pine woods. To preserve its environment, the Pantelleria National Park was established in 2016. It is the first National Park in the Sicily region which covers 80% of the island area.

Pantelleria is involved in an energy transition path to its total decarbonisation by 2050.

How does Pantelleria produce electricity? 

Electricity is currently produced by diesel generators, as the island is not interconnected to the mainland. The means of transport use petrol and diesel engines. About 7% of electricity is produced from about 1 MW of small photovoltaic systems. By 2022, all school buildings, town halls, libraries and municipal dog shelters will be equipped with photovoltaic systems. The Regional Government, the Municipality and the National Park are purchasing electric buses for the island's public transport. Transportation from or to the island is guaranteed by aeroplanes and ferries every day of the year and hydrofoils during summertime. The journey to Sicily takes about 50 minutes by plane, 6 h by ferry and 2 h by hydrofoil.

Pantelleria's path to clean energy

Pantelleria began its energy transition path in 2014 with the Covenant of Mayors signature. In 2019 Pantelleria was selected as a pioneer island for the energy transition. Later, in 2020 a group was formed by the Municipality, National Park, the Polytechnic University of Turin, the local energy supply company. Cantine Basile and Resilea drafted the agenda for the energy transition. The Agenda describes the transition process milestones towards total decarbonisation by 2050.