The Clean energy for EU islands secretariat hosted the webinar "Activating the Islands Marketplace — Supporting Island Communities to Finance Their Projects" on 13 February 2025. This event marked the official launch of the new Islands Marketplace, a pivotal initiative designed to support island communities in financing their energy transition projects.
The webinar brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including island communities and investors. Participants gained valuable insights into overcoming the potential financial barrier to achieving 100% renewable energy independence.
Highlights of the Webinar:
- Introduction to the Marketplace: Amandine Gal from the Clean Energy for EU Islands secretariat (Econoler) started the event with an overview of the Islands Marketplace and its objectives.
- Investor Presentations: Rahul Pratap-Sing from the European Energy Efficiency Fund and Tiago Vaz Serra from Plural Energy Innovation Fund shared their perspectives on financing energy transition projects, followed by a lively Q&A session moderated by Jorge Rodrigues de Almeida.
- Marketplace Tools: Marko Markov and Leandro Vaz introduced key tools developed by the CE4EUI secretariat and available on the Islands Marketplace webpage, including the Guideline for islanders—Steps to finance sustainable energy projects, the intake survey form to gather initial information on projects to be supported, and the investor list.
The Islands Marketplace aims to facilitate connections between island transition teams and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investors, providing a platform for collaboration and investment. The tools and resources presented during the webinar are designed to empower island communities to develop compelling project narratives and confidently navigate the financing process.
The event concluded with final remarks from Amandine Gal, who emphasised the support available from the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat to the islanders on this important topic of financing their clean energy projects.