DAY 1 | 14 May 2024 | Watch the recording
Welcome and objective setting
The session began with welcoming remarks from representatives of the Secretariat, DG ENER, and the local host. Jan Cornillie, the Project Director of Clean energy for the EU islands secretariat (3E), expressed enthusiasm for the gathering, labelling it as one of the most endearing events of the year. Fabrizio D’Ancona, the Mayor of Pantelleria Municipality, extended a warm welcome to participants, emphasising the importance of discussing environmental issues over the next two days, particularly focusing on sustainable living on islands. Alejandro Ulzurrun De Asanza Y Munoz from DG ENER, European Commission, greeted attendees to the annual EU islands forum, themed "Building Resilience through Renewables." He highlighted the recent energy crisis and stressed the importance of resilience, with renewable energy being a key component. Additionally, he noted the significance of solidarity among EU member states. The session concluded with remarks from Italo Gucci, the Director of Pantelleria National Park.
The islands within the EU climate and energy framework
In his presentation on "The Islands within the EU Climate and Energy Framework," Alejandro Ulzurrun De Asanza Y Munoz from DG ENER, European Commission, emphasised the significance of islands within the broader context of the European Union's climate and energy goals. He highlighted the alignment of island initiatives with the overarching concept of the Green Deal and emphasised the pivotal role islands play in driving action towards sustainability. Munoz outlined key objectives, including achieving climate neutrality by 2050, net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and significant reductions in emissions through initiatives like "Fit for 55."
He stressed the importance of developing and implementing grids, as well as investing in storage solutions such as batteries and hydro to manage intermittent energy sources effectively. Munoz underscored the necessity for public investment, highlighting initiatives like "Repower EU" and the shift towards consumers becoming prosumers. He praised the strong sense of community and local leadership present on islands and acknowledged the challenges some communities face in accessing resources and funds to implement EU plans.
Munoz concluded by expressing the Commission's commitment to listening to and learning from island communities and working collaboratively with them towards shared goals.
The "Green Islands" funding programme from the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan
Maria Benetta Francesconi from the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security in Italy presented the "Green Islands" funding program as part of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan. As the entity responsible for implementing the national recovery plan in Italy, she highlighted the significant investment allocated to green islands, amounting to 200 million Euros distributed among 19 islands.
Francesconi emphasised the importance of embedding this funding into the long-term strategy of the islands, aiming for a zero-carbon vision. The initiative entails a shift from a petrol-based energy system to one powered by solar and wind energy, incorporating demand management and promoting electromobility. The presentation underscores Italy's commitment to sustainable energy transition and resilience building in island communities.
Kythnos Smart Island
Kostas Komninos (DAFNI / EU islands secretariat) presented "Kythnos Smart Island" (KSI), a groundbreaking research and development initiative in the Greek islands, spearheaded by DAFNI in collaboration with academia. This project focuses on creating sustainable and smart infrastructure management solutions. Kythnos, historically known for renewable energy experimentation, has transformed into a dynamic living laboratory under KSI. The project encompasses clean energy, smart grids, and integrates energy with water, waste, and mobility management systems.
Additionally, it revitalises port facilities, rejuvenates public spaces, and upgrades municipal buildings. KSI highlights the necessity for island economies, particularly tourism-dependent ones, to transition towards diverse, circular, and sustainable models. Kostas emphasised KSI's significance at EU meetings on smart grids and sustainable tourism, and its alignment with the Smart Islands Initiative. Key issues addressed include water, waste, and transportation, with energy serving as a foundational element. Kostas concluded with a video showcasing the integrated and comprehensive nature of KSI's approach, emphasising its impact on street lighting and overall infrastructure enhancement.
Find the slides here.
Results from the Secretariat’s regulatory study on the resilience of insular power grids
Lucija Rakočević (Th!nkE / Clean energy for EU islands secretariat), presented the results from their regulatory study on the resilience of insular power grids. Over the past year, the Secretariat collaborated closely with stakeholders managing electricity systems in European island regions to comprehend the challenges of integrating a high proportion of renewable energy while ensuring security and quality of supply. Through collaborative discussions, best practices were identified, leading to the formulation of relevant recommendations and guidelines applicable to both electrically connected and non-interconnected islands.
The presentation focused on key challenges such as grid constraints and security of supply, particularly emphasising the operation and management of grids for non-interconnected islands. Lucija highlighted the importance of partnerships between system operators, distribution system operators (DSOs), and regulators. The study identified five horizontal challenges including power interruptions, high curtailment of existing renewable energy (RE), limited resources for implementing new solutions, lack of smart systems, and complex permitting and connection policies.
Recommendations were provided for stakeholders including system operators, regulatory agencies, and governments, focusing on promoting hybrid power plants, centralised storage, long-duration energy storage integration, monitoring and control of RE, sector coupling, modernising grid codes, and unbundling and storage ownership. These recommendations aim to address challenges not only for islands but also for remote areas, fostering resilience and sustainability in insular power grids.
Find the slides here.
Group work by Member State – Assessment of grid codes and regulatory/legislative frameworks for the development of RES on islands & discussion of the outcomes from the group work
Panel discussion on future-proofing electricity systems of islands
The panel discussion on future-proofing electricity systems of islands featured insights from various stakeholders on implementing recommendations and policy changes to facilitate the energy transition.
Edita Dranseikaite ( DG ENER) emphasised the importance of smart grids for energy transition on islands, highlighting the EU's mission to enable renewable energy project connections to the grid. She stressed the need for long-term planning and addressing distribution grid challenges. Dranseikaite also discussed the commission's efforts to map existing grid planning across Europe and commission a study on tariff structure.
Konstantinos Kyparissis (Eurelectric) welcomed the study's focus on system challenges and adaptation measures. He stressed integrating island grids into regulation and the importance of participatory investment in updating grids to achieve climate targets.
Alessandro Bianco (UNIEM) discussed the challenges of grid organisation on non-interconnected islands in Italy, emphasising the need for regulatory extension and participatory investment. He highlighted the importance of market tools to support sustainable economic development.
The discussion concluded with Dranseikaite stressing the importance of stable and reliable grids, and the need for coordination between national authorities and investments. Moderator Lucija Rakočević encouraged participants to take the recommendations forward for implementation, viewing the forum as an opportunity for progress.
Breakout Session: The Specific Challenges of Energy Communities and Cooperatives on Islands
The discussion revolved around the challenges and opportunities faced by energy communities and cooperatives on islands, considering regulatory, administrative, and technical aspects. Energy communities, as legal entities, operate across various sections of the value chain, with a distinction between citizen and renewable energy communities. However, unclear regulations, insufficient financing, and limited grid capacity hinder project realisation, particularly on islands with weak or no connection to the mainland.
The working group, guided by panellists' experiences, aimed to address these challenges and identify solutions, financing options, and policy interventions. Núria Albet-Torres highlighted issues such as energy poverty and bureaucratic barriers, advocating for a decentralized energy model with minimal environmental impact. Claire Helly shares insights from a project in Mayotte focused on decarbonizing the energy system through renewable energy deployment. Stefano Barberis discusses the potential of setting up renewable hydrogen energy communities and enhancing sector coupling. Raphaelle Papa addressed specific challenges faced by energy communities on islands and shared insights from the React project. Stefano Barberis discusses the potential of setting up renewable hydrogen energy communities and enhancing sector coupling.
The moderator, Riccardo Novo, facilitated the discussion and guided the group
Breakout session - The opportunities for grid balancing and stabilisation arising from sector coupling
The session focused on the challenges and opportunities for power grids on islands with limited connections to continental grids. While these grids might struggle to integrate renewable energy due to their limited capacity, there are potential benefits from coupling the power system with other services like transport, water production, and waste management. The working group, guided by experienced panellists, aimed to explore these opportunities and identify necessary policy measures to enhance sector coupling practices. Panellists include Davide Astiaso Garcia from Università di Roma “La Sapienza,” Georgios Exarchou from HDF Energy, and Lorenzo Di Fresco from Clean Energy for EU islands secretariat (Bluenergy Revolution), with moderation by Petros Markopoulos from Clean Energy for EU islands secretariat (DAFNI).
Site visit at the hybrid solar PV/battery storage plant and the water desalination plant
At the end of the working group sessions, the participants had the opportunity to visit the recently built hybrid solar PV/battery storage plant and the water desalination plant of Pantelleria. Guided by the technicians operating those systems, the participants learned about the contribution in terms of flexibility and renewables hosting capacity provided by these two plants to the island's power grid.
