60-minute session
Across the EU, there are more than 2,200 inhabited islands. Despite often having potential access to plentiful renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, or wave, many still depend on costly diesel imports or interconnection to the mainland or a neighbouring larger island for their energy supply.
With energy security being top of everyone’s mind at the moment, plus the genuine drive to transition Europe’s energy systems to a low-carbon, sustainable model, a growing number of islands in the region are investigating innovative ways of reducing energy costs, increasing renewable energy production, building energy storage and demand response systems and ultimately ensuring energy self-sufficiency.
One of the most important initiatives supporting such activities is the European Commission’s Clean energy for EU Islands, which is part of the ‘Clean energy for all Europeans’ package.
Islands also have a second important function, which is they can serve as testbeds for new technologies or as prototypes of a low-carbon energy system, providing insights and field data that are extremely valuable for Europe’s wider energy transition.
In the first of three episodes focused on sustainable energy islands, culminating with a round table at Enlit Europe later this year in Frankfurt, we will present some of the most innovative energy island projects currently operating within the EU, including La Graciosa, part of the Canaries archipelago, and Greece’s Tilos.
As an attendee you will receive:
- Updates on the progress of these projects
- Invaluable operational information
- Best practices and key lessons learned
- Knowledge about the enabling technologies being used
Moderator:
Heather Johnstone, Content Director | Enlit Europe
Speakers:
Annabel de Gheldere, Investment Advisor & Manager of Sustainable Islands Program | Energy Investment Management
Helen Heinz, PhD Researcher within Smart-BEEjS Project | The Canary Islands Institute of Technology
Takis Ktenidis, Senior Researcher | Soft Energy Applications and Environmental Protection Laboratory
Daniele Enea, Researcher, Energy Efficiency Unit, Department of the Southern Area Regions Laboratory (DUEE-SIST-SUD) | ENEA
