Towards 100% RES Supply

Edited by:

insulaInternational Scientific Council for Island Developmentc/o Unesco1, Rue Miollis 75015 ParisFranceE-mail: [email protected] ; [email protected].: +33 45 68 40 56 - Fax: +33 45 68 58 0andITERInstituto Tecnológico y de Energías RenovablesPolígono Industrial de Granadilla - Parque Eólico E-38611San Isidro - TenerifeCanary Islands - SpainE-mail: [email protected].: +34 922 391000 - Fax: + 34-922 391001

With the support of the ALTENER Programme - European Commission

The Island 2010 initiative has been developed in co-operation with:European Island OPETOPET Network

Texts and co-ordination:Cipriano Marín - INSULAGuillermo Galván - ITER

Experts:Manuel Cendagorta Galarza - ITERPier Giovanni d'Ayala - INSULAArthouros Zervos - NTUA-RENESFranco Cavallaro - ANCIMJosé Manuel Melim Mendes - AREAMThomas Lynge Jensen - FEDJoaquim Corominas - ECOSERVEISMiguel Fraile - IVECO-PEGASODavid Blackledge - TTRJulieta Shallenberg - ITCIben Østergaard - ECDVassilia Argyraki - ISLENETJean-Michel sers - ADEMEDaniel Satue - ICAEN

Co-operating Institutions:UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)ADEME (Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maitrise de l'Energie, France)ICAEN (Institut Català d'Energia, Spain)NTUA-RENES (National Technical University of Athens-Renewable EnergyUnit, Greece)ANCIM (Associazione Nazionale Comuni Isole Minori, Italy)AREAM (Agencia Regional da Energia e Ambiente da Região Autónoma daMadeira, Portugal)ISLENET (European Islands Energy & Environment Network)FED (Forum for Energy and Development, Denmark)ITC (Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias, Spain)ECD (Energy Centre Denmark, Danish Technological Institute)

Production coordinator:Giuseppe Orlando

Graphic designer:Luis Mir Payá

Printed in the Canary Islands by TenydeaDep. Leg.: TF886/2001January 2001

Towards 100% RES SupplyRenewable Energy Sources for Island Sustainable Development

Edited by

Cipriano Marín - Guillermo Galván

with the support: promoted by:

5

Introduction - Island 2010 initiative ...................................................... 7

Statements of island representatives .................................................. 9President of the Tenerife Island Government ..................................... 11President of the Sicilian Region ......................................................... 13President of the El Hierro Island Government ..................................... 15Vice-President of the Madeira Autonomous Region ............................ 17Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism - Cyprus ......................... 19Mayor of Samsoe ................................................................................ 21Province of Sassari - Sardinia ............................................................. 23

European Island RES Agenda ............................................................... 25

Towards 100% RES strategy: A Global Model for a change ................. 33Towards 100% RES strategy. A Global Model for a change .................. 35Renewable Energies Sources and Technologies .................................. 43The Water-Energy binomial ................................................................ 53Renewable Energies for Clean Sustainable Transport on Islands ......... 57Sustainable Tourism and RES ............................................................. 63

Islands 100% RES projects ................................................................... 69Tenerife 100: A model of Renewable Energy Sources integration ......... 71Sun, wind and water: The new El Hierro island’s allies ......................... 77Towards 100 % RES supply on Samsoe, Denmark:Three years of experiences in a planning period over ten years ........... 83The Municipality of Gotland:A renewable energy island in the Baltic Sea ........................................ 87Towards 100% RES supply in La Maddalena Island – Sardinia ............ 91The Pellworm experience .................................................................... 93Renewable Energy Park for the Island of Corfu ................................... 95Renewable Energy Islands - The Danish Energy Way .......................... 97

Large-scale deployment of RES on islands ......................................... 103Unique World-wide Overview of Renewable Energy on Small Islands .. 105Implementation Plan for the large scale deploymentof renewable energy sources in Crete ................................................ 109The Development of Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity Generation:the Example of the French Overseas Departments and Corsica ............ 113The Madeira Case .............................................................................. 119Large Scale Utilization of Solar Energy in Cyprus ................................ 121The Faeroe experience ....................................................................... 123Renewable Energy Plan of the Minorca Island ..................................... 125

Index

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National Energy Program CROTOKEnergy Development on Islands. Croatia ............................................. 129Renewable energy proposals on Cape Clear island,Cork County, Ireland ............................................................................ 135Designing the Habitat of the Future for Islands:25 Bioclimatic Dwellings for the Island of Tenerife ............................... 139The Canary Islands: a world laboratory for desalination ....................... 143Development of RES investment projectsin small-island Biosphere Reserves ..................................................... 151Islands, Telematics and Sustainable energy ......................................... 155

International actions, networks ............................................................ 157European Island OPET ....................................................................... 159Islenet ................................................................................................ 161

Annexes ................................................................................................. 163European Conference on Sustainable Island Development.European Island Agenda ..................................................................... 165Kos resolution ..................................................................................... 167Palma de Mallorca Declaration............................................................. 171Acores Declaration .............................................................................. 173Cagliari Declaration ............................................................................. 175Declaration of Canarias ....................................................................... 177Barbados Action Plan ......................................................................... 179Charter for Sustainable Tourism .......................................................... 181Declaration on sustainable future for historic cities .............................. 183White Paper: “Energy for the future: renewable sources of energy”The Campaign for Take-Off ................................................................. 185

7

For centuries, the sails of Lasithi's windmills caught the wind that guaranteed fertility in this part of Crete. These

same winds also helped to pump water to create abundance on the plains of Palma de Majorca and brought the sea

inland and, thus, with the aid of the sun, helped to crystallise the salt, bringing fame to islands like Ibiza and

Lanzarote as flourishing centres on the powerful salt route. Small waterfalls were widely harnessed in remote areas of

Madeira and Corsica to guarantee the survival of the local people. We also know that there were over four hundred

windmills on the island of Ölund at the end of the 19th century, and that the winds of the island of Hydra milled the

grain for the besieged city of Athens for decades.

This is just an idea of the long adventure of survival that islands have lived, cleverly harnessing their few and fragile

resources. Throughout time, all over the world, island peoples have always had to develop ingenious ways of

harnessing the sun, the wind and the water at their disposal. You only have to look at any of our islands to realise that

the traditional house is always an incredible compendium of passive solutions adapted to the specific conditions of

each location to overcome the hardships of the climate and the isolation.

That is why we hear talk of an island strategy to promote renewable energy sources on the threshold of the new

millennium, and this strategy should be understood as a mere continuity of the inherent tradition of each island. But

on this occasion, there is a major difference, because the dizzying advances in renewable energy technologies over

the last few decades mean that, for the first time in history, the island factor does not have to be a constraining factor.

The new technologies seem to have been designed by islanders. The traditional limitations in the energy field like

distance from the major grids, small scale, distribution difficulties and the lack of large conventional markets, are

more than off-set by the extreme abundance of renewable energy sources, and the incredible adaptability and

capacity of integration of renewable energy technologies; factors that are in sharp contrast with the progressive

inefficiency and high cost of conventional energy systems in island regions.

In fact, we would go as far as to say that islands have become genuine laboratories of the future of energy

sustainability. The weight of energy costs, along with the enormous social and environmental implications of using

energy in such vulnerable regions, is clearly tipping the scales. This philosophy is shared by most islands, and was

explicitly stated in the final document drawn up at the end of the First European Conference on Sustainable Island

Development (Minorca, 1997), which clearly states that: "Non-renewable energy sources must be considered as

provisional solutions, unsuitable as a long-term solution to the energy problem in islands".

But, it is also important to highlight that this phenomenon is far from a minor one. If we consider it as a whole, we will

see that both the area and population involved are far more extensive than you might think. The area in question

includes a population of over thirteen million islanders and a surface area of almost 5% of the European Union. This

view is of enormous importance at a time when the Green Paper "Towards a European strategy for the security of

energy supply" is under discussion. In this context, the subject of the islands will have to be addressed and tackled in

accordance with its importance and the new requirements that define the island factor and how it differentiates

islands from the mainland.

The debate on sustainable energy supply is part and parcel of the new challenges that islands must face in the

immediate future. Nowadays, sustainable development for European islands cannot be understood without relating

energy aspects with tourism or water production. The seasonal nature of tourism and the fact that it requires services

of this kind to be so much larger than those required by the resident population, however adapted their development

may be, represents a serious headache for energy supply. More than fifty million Europeans choose island destina-

tions for their holidays, thus creating scenarios that were unthinkable up until now. The data brings us face to face

with a reality that cannot be hidden. This reality can be summed up by saying that the Greek islands receive more

tourists than Portugal; the Balearic Islands has twice as many tourists as Brazil and the Canary Islands receive twice

as many tourists as South Africa, the great emerging destination of Africa.

New winds for islands

8

This same equation can be seen in the water-energy tandem. Limited water resources have forced many islands to

make the leap to desalination to quench their growing thirst. Islands have started to measure water in terms of units of

energy.

In this extremely variable framework, energy options take on a fundamental strategic value for islands, especially with

regard to the aspects of supply costs, quality and security. If we add the environmental dimension, where islands cannot

afford the excessive externalities of conventional systems, in areas where the environment and the landscape are the

principle factor of value added for their future survival, we come to the conclusion that renewables are not an option,

they are the only reasonable path to follow in the future.

Islands have made a start. In the face of this situation, overall European forecasts have been exceeded. Islands no

longer talk about 12% RES; they are starting to design 100% RES systems for the future. And all of these solutions and

designs are based on real projects and strategies. We have the El Hierro project, based on a wind-hydraulic system,

the Samso strategy that includes generating hydrogen for clean transport in the future, the case of Gotland, the

renewable island of the Baltic, Pellworm's proposal to cut the energy connection with the mainland, the Madalena

project; an example of 100% RES in protected islands, or the initiatives of Aero and Corfu.

These examples are merely the tip of the iceberg of a major process of deploying renewable energies in all European

island territories. The islands now have a large number of plans for implementing renewable energy sources on a large

scale, such is the case of Crete, the new advances that are appearing in Madeira, the Danish path to island sustainable

energy supply, the development of renewables in the French Overseas Departments like Guadaloupe, the case of

Corsica or the accord launched by the Italian government for the Italian Litte Islands.

It is in this context that we find the Island 2010 (Towards 100% RES Supply) initiative, which, like the ALTNER project,

is based on the sensible and sensitive recommendations made by the European' Commission's White Paper "Energy

for the Future: Renewable Energy Sources", understanding that the islands are obviously natural candidates and top-

priority partners in the key initiative "100 Communities Aimed at 100% RES supply" launched as part of the "Campaign

for Take-Off" that runs from 2000 to 2003. Promoting the incorporation of new 100% RES initiatives and disseminating

advanced projects is a fundamental objective of the Island 2010 idea.

This is a determined response that is making a deep-felt impression in other, so-far distant fields like tourism, where we

find the initiatives adopted in the island Biosphere Hotels Network and the launch of the great co-operation forum in

favour of RES and alternative transports (Tech Tourism Island Forum). It is also an idea that has been taken on board

the strategy of sustainable development promoted within the UNESCO's MaB programme through the World Biosphere

Reserve Network, which includes a large number of island territories. These are all initiatives that have been highlighted

ever since the first meetings that Insula and UNESCO held with the European Parliament's Islands Inter-Group.

Unlike other regions, island action to promote renewables is not circumscribed to the field of technology or the energy

market; it also involves the very political action of island regions. With regard to energy, the specificity of the Island

issue has been a constant element of reflection in most European Union meetings and inter-island agreements. The

declarations of Palma de Majorca (1999), Azores (2000), or the most recent one, Cagliari (2001), are systematically

abundant with regard to this issue.

Declaration 30 on the islands, annexe to the Treaty of Amsterdam, meant the first step towards recognition for the

singularity of the island factor in a broad range of aspects, among which energy occupies an important place. This is a

process in which the guidelines of the well-known Viola report have made an important contribution, as has the report on

the problems of development in the ultra-peripheral regions (Fernando Fernandez Martin report). The former highlights the

need for community policy on island regions to help promote the rational use of energy, along with a determined decision to

opt for renewables, stressing the fact that tourism distorts the energy balance of many islands by up to 600%. The latter

report emphasises the proposal to attach a protocol to the Treaty, to clearly define a policy of support for renewables, and

even the development and promotion of legislative measures in this sense, for islands.

European islands have, therefore, arrived at an important moment in their evolution. Political will, technological develop-

ment and the terms of a sensible economic discourse based on sustainable development make it advisable to open the

gates wide to this great idea of energy self-sufficiency for islands in the new millennium.

Cipriano MarinINSULA

International Scientific Council for Island Development

Statements of islandrepresentatives

11

There are many challenges that insular territories must face in these new times. New

productive specialties, such as tourism, or the rapid growth in populations, place islands in

an extremely vulnerable position. Our limited resources must be managed with extreme

caution in these situations.

It is essential to draw special attention to the management of renewable resources in the

energetic dimension, due to the fact that energy is one of the main problems for sustainable

development in island regions, because of its territorial, environmental and economical

aspects.

The majority of islands possess abundant natural resources, such as the wind, sun, sea and

geothermal sources (in the case of islands of volcanic origins). These resources can be

converted, using clean technologies, into sources of beneficial energy by transforming them

into electricity, heat or motive power, with the capacity to cover actual needs of islands

societies. By applying these to desalination processes, potable water can be produced without

having to resort to the use of fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Through these and other tech-

niques, the emission of pollution and damage to the environment can be drastically reduced.

The Cabildo de Tenerife has been promoting projects on energy saving, efficiency and large

scale implantation of the renewable energies for several years, trying to find solutions for a

problematic energy consumption with the aim of decreasing the energy dependence of the

island from the exterior. This is mainly due to the lack of fossil fuels in the archipelago and its

service sector-based economy. In this context, we are designing ambitious policies in the

tendency of a future 100 % RES, that range from the production of electricity from renewables

to the design of new transport systems adapted to the needs of the island and coherent with

this strategy. The Cabildo of Tenerife has bet equally for the consolidation of ITER (Technologi-

cal Institute of Renewable Energies), catalogued as centre of excellence for the islands by the

UNESCO, as technical and scientifical support of this great future defiance.

As in many islands of the planet, the tourist activity in Tenerife represents one of the main

pillars of our economy, which is due precisely to the existence of valuable environmental

resources that should and must be used for clean energy generation.

Over the last few years these solutions have been progressively applied, though at a much

lower level than their real potential. One has to consider that it is precisely in our territories

where it makes the most sense to aim for a strategy of energy based on efficiency and the

maximum penetration of renewable energies. Likewise, the experiences accumulated over the

years have confirmed a possible and profitable use of renewable energies against conventional

solutions, besides making public opinion aware of the need for these applications.

Coinciding with the moment when the European Commission launchs the Green Paper

“Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply”, we understand it is now

the time for the islands of the Union to conclude the consolidation of their own strategy in

this framework, based on their singularities and differential aspects, that is the rational use

of available insular resources.

The world-wide exchange of knowledge and relations between distinct insular sectors in the

frame of the European Union, at all levels (political, technical, legislative, financial), is

TenerifeThe challenge of island energy sustainability

12

fundamental to facilitate large scale implantation of renewable energies and to promote

technological innovations for the whole exploitation of energy resources in islands. An

attitude that, without doubt, will be translated into a significant improvement in the quality of

life of all islanders, and in a necessary reduction of dependence on exterior sources.

In this sense, the initiative ISLAND 2010 becomes a reference four our common goal, as it

is orientated to promote an insular strategy based in the renewable energies, that even

promotes an implication of the insular local governments, whose function is very important in

the sectors of tourism, energy and water. In the framework of the campaign ISLAND 2010,

specific measures related to energy aspects affecting islands have been analysed, and

actions whose results should be taken into account have been identified, so that directives to

implement projects and future initiatives may be determined.

Energy sustainability in islands today is not a utopia for islands, it could be said that it

constitutes a condition for consolidating their balanced development opposite the great

challenges that should be approached in this new millennium.

Ricardo Melchior

President

Cabildo de Tenerife

Tenerife Island Government

13

Energy is at present at the centre of the island dilemma arising when the most adequate

strategies to achieve a sustainable development have to be defined. Clear implications of

energy-related decisions with other key sectors, like water and transports, and their

territorial influence, oblige to reflect on our models and to plan new alternatives of future.

We know that the potential of renewable energy sources of our territories is insufficiently

exploited, that economic and environmental impacts deriving from the use of conventional

sources are more and more increasing, and we also know that mature technologies already

exist that will allow us to have clean, safe energy at bearable costs available in the next

future. Renewable energy sources are undoubtedly a big islands' capital that is necessary to

manage in its extent and that will contribute to the safeguard of basic objectives of our

development like the environment and the cultural heritage.

The position of the Sicilian Region has been clearly expressed by its support and active

participation in the achievement of important targets such as the elaboration of the RES

Island Agenda, as a result of the 1st Conference on Sustainable Island Development

(Minorca 1997) and the Island Solar Summit held in Tenerife (1999), where it was clearly

stated that renewables are the most reasonable alternative for a complete island develop-

ment and not only just an option.

Furthermore, the European strategy expressed in the White Paper titled "Energy for the

Future: Renewable Sources of Energy" clearly reflects a need to strengthen a large scale

implementation of renewables in the islands. The Whiter Paper expressly states that, on a

larger scale, "solar cities" should be identified, as well as large rural areas, and administra-

tive regions which can benefit from an existing sense of community. Large islands (e.g.

Sicily, Sardinia, Crete, Rhodes, Majorca, Canary Islands or Madeira) could also be used as

pilot regions. In order to foster the implementation process of the Community Strategy and

Action Plan, the European Commission has launched "The Campaign for Take-Off" that runs

from year 2000 to year 2003. One of the key sectors of "The Campaign for Take-Off" is the

"100 Communities Aimed at 100% RES Supply".

Within this context we think that islands are the scope of natural application of this strategy

and that the European Commission and the national and island administrations have to

support this process in all its extent. Identification of island initiatives aiming at 100% RES

supply, is an excellent reference framework, under the name of "Island 2010" for our

aspirations and a tangible proof that islands can advance towards sustainable development,

working in tight cooperation in defence of their common interests. The fact that definite

projects and objectives exist on this line gives European islands the needed experience and

courage to decidedly undertake the necessary big changes.

Vincenzo Leanza

President

Regione Siciliana

SicilyNew energies for a new future of the islands

15

At the beginning of 2000, the island of El Hierro became the first site to be declared a

Biosphere Reserve in the new millennium by UNESCO. This declaration came in recognition

of a long process that was started back in the eighties when the island opted for its own

development model based on respect for the environment, innovation and social cohesion. In

the intervening years, a whole series of projects has been promoted, which have constituted

real practical experience and an ambitious view of the future that was officially culminated in

November, 1997, when the Island Cabildo (Government) adopted the island of El Hierro

Sustainable Development Programme in plenary session.

We understand sustainable development to be a kind of human, social and economic

development taken as a whole that uses resources in such a way as not to compromise

their availability for future generations. In this new approach to development, people and

their quality of life are the centre and the objective of each and every one of the projects

implemented, regardless on the scope and the area the project addresses.

Examples of sustainable development are harnessing run-off waters, recycling solid waste,

using solar and wind energy, caring for the landscape as a source of welfare and tourist

income, growing natural agricultural produce, treating and re-using water, creating worthy

and creative jobs, using our wells to improve water quality and prevent salinisation of the

aquifer, diversifying our economy, providing channels by which the older members of our

society can participate, promoting our traditional architecture, establishing fair trade and

responsible consumption, disseminating the know-how of our traditions, listening to and

motivating the young people, facilitating access to training and information, etc. Deteriorating

our landscape, squandering raw materials and energy, neglecting and forgetting our culture,

importing almost everything we consume; this is not sustainable development.

It is in just this context that one of our most ambitious projects has been developed: to

covert the island of El Hierro into island on which 100% of energy demand is covered by

renewable energy sources.

100% RES electricity supply is guaranteed through a hybrid wind-hydraulic system consist-

ing of a 10 MW wind farm that also uses surplus wind energy, which is free but variable, to

pump water up to a tank 600 m above sea level. This water and the potential energy it

contains, is fed through a turbine, thus guaranteeing a high-quality electricity supply to back-

up and correct the highly variable availability of wind energy. In order to close the cycle in a

coherent fashion, the input of water needed in the lower tank will be obtained by desalinating

sea water, which will avoid having to divert much needed water resources from farming and

will even provide an input of water for areas of irrigation.

The 100% renewables strategy also addresses the fields of harnessing solar thermal energy

and the applications of photovoltaic energy. What is more, it also spreads to sectors like

transport by promoting the use of electric and hybrid transport (zero emissions strategy) and

the generalised production of water from desalinating sea water. Both these activities are

also excellent storage systema for surplus energy produced by the variable forces of the sun

and the wind.

El HierroBuilding an island on a human scale

16

For all the above, the Island 2010 initiative, which has the support of the Altener Pro-

gramme, and which takes on board the main ideas laid down in the European Commission's

White Paper on Renewable Energies and their campaign on 100% RES communities,

dovetails perfectly with our expectations as islanders. The idea we have is to continue to

move forward in this direction, within a framework of co-operation with other islands, as we

have been doing with Samso, Aero and La Maddalena, where we can work together to

overcome technical and management barriers. We also want to promote projects and ideas

of this kind through island networks, as has been shown since the very moment that we

took on the commitment to form part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Tomas Padrón

President

Cabildo de El Hierro

El Hierro Island Government

17

Along with the central objectives of the regional energy policy set out for the Autonomous Region of

Madeira - secure supply, economic competitiveness and environmental protection - there are some

additional, and revealing guidelines on revaluing regional energy resources and the rational use of

energy.

What must also be highlighted is that the particular characteristics of the energy system of the

Autonomous Region of Madeira: a remote island, naturally excluded from the advantages of the

Internal Energy Market; require the right approach in the light of the principles of territorial continuity

and economic and social cohesion, in the national and community context.

Harnessing renewable energy resources has a long tradition in the Autonomous Region of Madeira,

in our traditional uses and, more recently, in the production of electricity. Hydraulic energy was first

used in the fifties for producing electricity for many different purposes, associated with catching and

distributing water for supplying towns and for irrigating farmlands. This first stage was taken a step

further in the nineties with the appearance of the first wind farms, more specifically in 1992, which

has been a determining factor in accounting for the high market share that renewable energies have

in the Region, currently around 30% of electrical energy production in years of average rainfall.

Despite this successful background in promoting renewable energies, new technical, scientific and

economic challenges are appearing on the horizon for the Region to be able to continue to revaluate

its native resources and make a contribution to consolidating energy and environmental objectives

in consonance with European guidelines in these areas.

Therefore, progress must continue to be made in harnessing renewable resources in fields like

electricity generation, which forces us to study new scientific and technical solutions that will enable

us to feed this energy into a stand-alone grid, which also currently presents enormous loading

differences between peak and trough hours. We also need a new impulse for harnessing solar

energy, and we must explore new possibilities like the interface of energy with the transport sector,

or promoting the use of renewables in desalinating sea water, particularly on the island of Porto

Santo. Finally, we also need to move forward in revaluing animal and vegetal biomass energy,

studying new technologies that are currently being developed, in greater depth.

We are convinced that the remote island regions of the great, continental energy networks are the

best natural and human means for promoting a large proportion of the new energy technologies

developed in the European Union, from an economic point of view.

The Autonomous Region of Madeira will continue to develop actions in the political sphere, as we

have with the 2nd Inter-parliamentary Conference held in Funchal in 2000 and the Madeira Declara-

tion on promoting renewable energies, both on the technical plane and in promoting new initiatives.

These are advances that illustrate how we are assimilating innovative technologies and how we

have given our whole-hearted support to inter-regional co-operation, opting for new solutions in line

with the development of island regions and of their own endogenous energy resources.

Joao Cunha e Silva

Vice President

Autonomous Region of Madeira

Regiao Autónoma da Madeira

MadeiraRenewable Energies for the Autonomous Region of Madeira

~

18

19

It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to prologue this important booklet "Island 2010 -

Towards 100% RES Supply". The importance of renewable energy sources for island

countries like Cyprus couldn't be overemphasised, especially nowadays when there is a

growing consensus on the need to protect the global environment.

Cyprus has to rely, almost exclusively, on imported fuels to satisfy its energy needs. The

primary energy consumption in the Government controlled area of Cyprus in 2000 was 2.2

millions of Tonnes Oil Equivalent (t.o.e.). Energy consumption is predominately oil based. The

contribution of renewable energy sources for meeting the country's energy needs is estimated

to be 4.5 %. Thus, more than 95% of total primary energy is supplied by imports. Oil imports

are a considerable burden on the island's economy. Last year the cost of imported energy

represented more than 70% of the country's earnings from domestic exports.

The Government of Cyprus, in an effort to alleviate the problem to the largest possible

extent, has formulated and implements a comprehensive energy programme. The main

objective of the programme is the reduction of the country's dependence on imported energy

through rational use of energy and the greatest possible exploitation of renewable energy

sources. Thus, the promotion and optimum exploitation of renewable energy sources is a

priority of the Cyprus energy policy.

World energy demand is growing fast, the degradation of the environment from increased

production and consumption of conventional forms of energy is causing global alarm. The

message is clear, we have to react fast. And indeed throughout the globe, there are some

unmistakable signs of leadership and initiative, like this one, that help to infuse the political

process with new energies and provide the basis for the veritable eco-revolution that is

required to make the transition to a sustainable future.

Cyprus has a tradition in using renewable energy, their utilisation started long ago. The first

application that has been historically developed in Cyprus was the use of windmills for

irrigation purposes. In the early 1930?s hundreds of windmills were set up to irrigate small

plots of vegetables. A second mass extended utilisation of renewable source of energy

appeared in the early sixties where production of solar water heaters started on a large

scale. The industry grew quickly and today more than 92% of total households, 50% of

hotels and considerable number of industries are using solar water heaters for heating / pre-

heating water. Today the contribution of renewable energy sources to the national energy

balance is 4.5%, a high percentage compared with international standards. However, there

is still a long way to go. Recent studies showed that there is scope for further utilisation of

renewable energy sources in Cyprus. Applications like solar space heating and cooling, wind

power generation, desalination and biogas production are continuously being assessed, as

developments in this field are fast.

Utilising renewable energy sources is a global issue and we believe that the most effective

way to exploit them is through regional / International co-operation. Thus, avoiding duplica-

tion of work and taking advantage of existing know-how and experience. This initiative

provides an excellent opportunity in furthering regional / international co-operation in the

field. I am sure that this booklet would contribute substantially to our common striving for

Republic of Cyprus

20

energy sufficiency through maximum exploitation of indigenous renewable energy sources.

Finally I would like to congratulate all those who have contributed to the preparation of this

publication and at the same time I wish to every island separately to solve its energy

problems by utilizing to the maximum extent the renewable sources which are indigenous

and friendly to the environment, thus contributing positively to the tourism industry so

important for island economy. The way to achieve this target is to join hands and work

together. I am sure we shall succeed.

Solon Kassinis

Officer in Charge of the Energy and Environment

Section of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

Republic of Cyprus

21

Small islands are often isolated and have often specific problems concerning the regional and

national infrastructure in both the transport and the energy sector. Therefore it’s necessary for

small islands to co-operate on a national level to meet the challenges of to morrow.

To be inspired in internationally networks is necessary as well. Therefore Samsoe took part

in a project to co-operate with El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain), La Maddalena (Sardinia,

Italy) and Arran Islands (Eire). The aim of the project was: Developing and implementation of

organisational and financial tools in network collaboration towards renewable energy

systems.

There is a tradition for developing networks and co-operatives on small islands – it’s

necessary if you want to survey. In the project period 1999 and 2000 we have had a lot of

discussions how to implement planning- and financial systems to develop renewable energy

supply on the four islands. Planning for wind power and solar energy were and are common

projects for all four islands. Bio-mass was items for some of the islands as well.

On Samsoe we have erected 11 new wind-turbines on the island in the year of 2000, two of

them owned by co-operatives. Further more we are planning for ten wind-turbines on the

sea as a compensation for the energy consumption in the transport sector.

From the ALTENER project we have experienced, that network co-operation is a good

possibility for exchanging planning- and financing methods. Therefore we have decided to

continue our co-operation in international networks.

John Sander Petersen

Mayor of Samsoe

www.samsoe.dk

SamsoeEnergy for small islandsTowards 100 % Renewable Energy Supply

22

23

Today the link between the quality of the environment and the production and use of energy

it really clear. In consequence the planning of the actions and the political decisions have to

take in account the problems which are in the present everywhere in the world: the fuel

fossils reduction, the pollution and air warming, the necessity and the possibility to make

effort in the way of the quality of the human development in a framework of sustainability and

quality. Sardinia island depends from petrol for 94%, and the province of Sassari, the north

part of the island, for 99%. That happens in a area with large possibilities of using renewable

energy sources and especially for solar, wind and also biomass energy. It needs to change

with decision in order to take the opportunities coming from the new renewable energy

market, from the technological modernization of the production sectors, and not only, from

the environmental and economics value of the more energetic autonomy of the island. The

islands in effect can be the true laboratory for the launch in a big scale of renewable

energies. The international islands conferences (Majorca 1999, Azores 2000, Cagliari -

Sardinia 2001) put the accent on the important role the islands can play in this sector in the

future. Most of the efforts have to be made of course at local level, but an important effort

have to be made from national, and especially from the european level taking in particular

consideration the specialty of island conditions.

Actually we are in the beginning of RES implementation and La Maddalena, a 50 Km square

island, have been selected, from the local authorities, to be supplied 100% RES, but we are

really involved to give an important contribution, working in cooperation with the others

european island, to the achievement of common objectives.

Sebastiano Sannitu

responsible of the environmental politics

Province of Sassari

Sardinia

Sardinia

24

European IslandRES Agenda

27

IntroductionAt the beginning of the XXI century, the

european islands are preparing to meet the

new challenges that have appeared in

today's world. And they are doing this with

a new mentality that is based on a common

tie. Island societies have seen that the

extreme richness and diversity of their

natural and cultural heritage is under

serious threat, and that they must become

the masters of their own destiny in the face

of the processes of globalisation, placing

their confidence in the development options

that can guarantee a future for them

without irreversibly mortgaging it in the

process.

Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 (Rio Conference,

1992) points out that islands are a special

case for both the environment and for

development, and that they have very

specific problems in planning sustainable

development, as they are extremely fragile

and vulnerable. In the context of sustainable

development, energy is the cornerstone of

their planning strategies.

Due to its territorial, environmental and

economic implications, energy is a central

factor in the island dilemma. Implementing

the wrong energy model could mortgage our

economies, future development options and

the environment, because energy solutions

are closely related to how island resources

are managed. This interdependence is

extremely prominent in islands, where it also

involves transport, water and waste

management policies, all of which are key

aspects of striking a satisfactory balance in

our area.

The magnitude of per capita energy

consumption has becomean indicator of

progress. Therefore, energy-related matters

and policies have been closely linked to the

demand for energy. This has meant that,

for many years, the strategic and environ-

mental consequences of energy consump-

European Island RES Agenda

tion patterns have been neglected. All too

often energy models and solutions have

been imported that are inflexible and

inappropriate for island conditions.

The fragile nature of the island environment

requires ecologically rational technologies

that are appropriate for the characteristics

of each area and its resources, technolo-

gies that are within an island's carrying

capacity. But, we also know that the global

attitude of other regions toward energy

solutions involves direct environmental

risks for many islands. Eight years after the

Rio Conference, Climate Change remains

the core of international debate, especially

after the "Third Conference of the Parties to

the United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change" that was held in Kyoto,

where the islands clearly expressed the

need for a change in the energy model in

light of future risks.

In this moment of extraordinary importance

for islands, the European Commission's

White Paper "Energy for the Future:

Renewable Energy Sources" sets out a

Community Strategy and Action Plan to

increase RES market penetration, to

improve security of energy supply, to

reduce energy dependency, and to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet

the Kyoto objectives.

In order to foster the implementation process

of the Community Strategy and Action Plan,

the European Commission has launched

"The Campaign for Take-Off" that runs from

year 2000 to year 2003. One of the key

sectors of "The Campaign for Take-Off" is

the "100 Communities Aimed at 100% RES

Supply". It is precisely within this context

where the island issue specificity facing the

energy dilemma is explicitly recognised: "To

optimise the available potential of renewable

energy technologies requires them to be

used together wherever this is productive

either in integrated systems for local power

supply or, on the other hand, in dispersed

schemes for regional power supply. These

obviously have to be adapted to the

conditions of each specific location, so as to

ensure reliable power supply to the required

quality and continuity standards. As part of

this campaign action, a number of pilot

communities, regions, cities and islands will

be selected from those which can reason-

ably aim at 100% power supply from

renewables. These pioneer collectivities, in

order to feature as credible pacemakers,

should be of varying size and characteris-

tics. On a small scale, the units could be

blocks of buildings, new neighbourhoods in

residential areas, recreational areas, small

rural areas, or isolated ones such as islands

or mountain communities. On a larger scale,

"solar cities" should be identified, as well as

large rural areas, and administrative regions

which can benefit from an existing sense of

community. Large islands (e.g. Sicily,

Sardinia, Crete, Rhodes, Majorca, Canary

Islands or Madeira) could also be used as

pilot regions".

The idea to advance towards 100% RES

islands is not a utopia anymore, but it is

now supported by very some very sound

bases and the projects that are arising

within this campaign. In this sense, the aim

of Island 2010 is to act as catalyser and

promoter of the strategy agreed during the

First European Conference on Sustainable

Island Development (Minorca, 1997) that is

clearly defined in one of its agreements that

literally says: "Non-renewable energy

sources must be considered as provisional

solutions, unsuitable as a long-term solution

to the energy problem in islands".

With regard to energy, the Island issue's

specificity has been a constant element of

reflection in most European Union's

meetings and inter-insular agreements. The

declarations of Palma de Majorca (1999),

Azores (2000), or the most recent, of

28

Cagliari (2001), are systematically abundant

with regard to this issue. In particular the

aspects related with the Directive for the

Promotion of Renewable Energy are of

particular relevance, as well as the establish-

ment of a policy and regulation in favour of

renewables for islands. Aspects that are

even more relevant after the appearance of

the Green Paper "Towards a European

strategy for the security of energy supply"

that should include within its development

the particularity of islands in their energy

dimension as a basic element of sustainable

development in the future.

Furthermore, it is extremely significant that

these positions are not a particular view of

the european islands, as the fundamental

role played by the renewable energy sources

and the idea to tend towards 100% RES are

gathered in the agreements of the Small

Islands Developing States, through succes-

sive revisions of the Barbados Programme.

It is clear that islands are facing, and have

historically faced, a broad range of con-

straints. It is for precisely this reason that

many of the limitations of insularity must be

tackled from the viewpoint of a technologi-

cal strategy based on the specific nature of

islands and in a re-valuing of their re-

sources. The progressive specialisation of

island economies forces us to deal with the

aspects of technological qualification,

moving away from the traditional culture of

the quantity caused by the need to cover

historic deficits in island territories.

Nowadays, islands have to seek shared

solutions based on a common strategy, in

which innovation and adaptation must be

the dominant factors.

Energy,a new challenge for islandsIslands are an exceptional case for

sustainable development, with very special

characteristics from the energy point of

view. Most islands have a profile that

presents a series of pros and cons that

must be weighed up carefully when taking

the most suitable energy decisions.

Disadvantages include:

Isolation and dependence

One current constraint faced by islands is

their extreme dependence on imported

energy products. This is something that is

aggravated in the fields of transport and

electricity production.

In most cases, acquiring energy products

accounts for more than 15% of all island

imports.

Energy production is an extremely large

item in GDP. A heavy burden that, in many

cases, limits the development possibilities

and quality of life for islanders.

Limited range of energy resources

Available conventional energy sources are

generally limited or none existent. Islands

do not have any great variety of energy

sources either. These factors increase

island vulnerability and, sometimes lead to

an over-exploitation or premature exhaus-

tion of their limited non-renewable re-

sources.

Specialisation of economies

The over-specialisation of most island

economies forces them to install an over-

sized energy capacity to cover factors such

as prominent seasonal demand, abrupt

market changes or far greater territorial

dispersion than in other areas.

Particularly the development of the tourist

industry involves adopting behaviour

patterns and energy needs that are difficult

to bear. Island tourist destinations will have

to face the many added energy problems

derived from the industry, which in most

cases also implies a radical change to

traditional cultures of consumption.

Scale, a technological

and market constraint

The scale of islands generates two added

difficulties. On the one hand, their size

seriously limits the efficiency of conven-

tional energy systems, which have been

conceived and designed for other econo-

mies and areas. For example, one can often

see how the cost of generating electricity in

small and medium-sized islands can be ten

times the mainland reference figures. On

the other hand, the scale factor is also a

serious impediment to market conditions.

Small island energy markets are unattrac-

tive and often depend on the hypothetical

capacity of the public sector to cover their

deficits.

Highly sensitive environment

Islands are characterised by the fragile

nature of their ecosystems. This can be

seen from the large proportion of protected

areas they have, or areas that need

protection, which is much higher in propor-

tion than in other regions of the planet.

In an island context, the environmental

problems of energy take on extreme propor-

tions. Furthermore, islands have to reproduce

all the energy generation and storage

infrastructure within a small area of land,

leading to extremely high external costs.

Inefficient use of energy resources

Importing rigid mainland models of production

and consumption leads to energy vectors

being very poorly adapted to final use.

Most prospective studies on potential energy

saving and efficiency, give reduction param-

eters which exceed 20% in some cases, and

even more if we include transport. Rational

use of energy in new consumption is one of

the major issues to be tackled at the moment.

Imported modes of mobility and internal

transport are usually extremely inefficient

too, and they are gradually pushing up the

island energy bill. On many islands with a

strong presence of the services sector,

energy consumption for transport is very

often over 50% of total consumption.

In the other side of the scales islands tend

to enjoy the following advantages:

Abundant renewable energy sources

Most islands have excellent renewable

energy sources, which are often enough to

guarantee ample energy self-sufficiency.

These are currently energy resources that

are used very little in comparison with the

existing real potential.

Solar, wind, hydropower and ocean energies

are extremely abundant sources of energy on

all islands. In particular cases a few islands

29

have excellent geothermic resources or

biomass by-products. In general, they are

complementary energy sources; the lack of

one is usually offset by abundance of another.

Small can be an advantage

Renewable energy sources have an

excellent capacity for modulation to smaller

scales, compared with the rigid conven-

tional production systems. Renewable

energy technologies adapt much better to

island scales and needs.

Integration of renewable energy sources in

most island cases is an economically

feasible solution despite their relatively high

energy prices.

New technological tendencies start to

openly recognise the advantages of micro-

generation as a future guarantee of quality

and service security, favouring in this way

the islands' position.

Island economic specialities

are not very energy intensive

Islands are hardly ever the home to energy

intensive economic activities, as most of

them tend to increasingly move toward the

tertiary sector. Intensive energy consump-

tion is very occasional and most demand

goes to the services sector, transport and

housing.

The great island RET market

Individually, islands are not very important

energy markets with an acceptable critical

mass, but taken together, they are pres-

ently the largest niche market in the world

for renewable energies.

In recent years, the greatest relative growth

in specific segments of the renewables

market is to be found in islands. For

example, wind energy penetration is

recording unstoppable growth figures in

islands, compared with relative stagnation

in mainland regions.

In fact, at the present, the largest percent-

age of renewable energies in the energy

balance are also to be found in islands, to

the point that we are now seeing the

appearance of the first 100% renewable

islands.

Growing acquisition of technology

and availability of human resources.

The capacity of islanders to learn the new

energy technologies is really high. Isolation

has always generated an accentuated ability

to find new solutions in an emergency.

Furthermore, the human resources of

islands represent one of their greatest future

assets, as they have an exceptional creative

capacity.

If we weigh up the energy pros and cons of

islands, the option of a strategy based on

sustainable energies is not merely a techno-

logical, cultural or financial alternative, it is

very probably the only rational choice we

face. At the present moment, other, non-

renewable energy sources should be

considered as provisional solutions for solving

the long term energy problems of islands.

Sustainable Energies forbuilding a future for islandsCurrent trends in energy policies are aimed

basically at achieving greater competitivity.

For islands, however, this criterion alone is

not enough; a long term consensus must

be reached on the guidelines for a common

energy policy that considers other funda-

mental factors as well: respect for the

environment, creating employment and

assuring supply. This is a scenario that

should be governed by sustainable energy

criteria, that is, by energy saving and

efficiency and a maximum use of renewable

energy sources.

At the present time, however, renewable

energy sources still make an unacceptably

modest contribution to the islands' energy

balance in comparison with the potential

that is technically available.

Renewable energies within reach

In cases such as wind, hydro or solar

thermal energy, the renewables already

represent a real alternative to conventional

energy sources, and, moreover, they often

out-perform conventional energy sources.

In other cases, such as photovoltaic, ocean

or biomass energy, the future is promising

and economic viability depends on the

potential of the region and the specific

application in question.

Renewable energy technology (wind

turbines, photovoltaic systems) and the

electronics of energy and control technology

have made enormous advances since the

80's and the time has come to make a

greater effort to push for a general applica-

tion of renewable energy. Energy and

environmental problems remain the same for

islands however, but with the difference that

current technology greatly increases the

chances of achieving acceptable solutions.

The concept of renewable energies encom-

passes a wide range of sources, which

require a range of different techniques to

harness them. Islands generally have

several of these sources available to

different degrees. The ones with the

greatest potential are wind, solar and ocean-

related energies. The other renewable

energy sources vary in potential, depending

on the specific case in question.

Barriers

Barriers to the development of island energy

sustainability are in general not just techno-

logical in nature. There are also political,

financial, legal and training barriers prevent-

ing the generalisation of renewable energies,

which must be overcome in order to create a

favourable socio-economical and technical

space, particularly when we compare them

with conventional sources of energy.

The main barriers include:

• Lack of international and island institu-

tional frameworks supporting energy

sustainability.

• Non-existence of differentiated and specific

energy policies directed at insular territories.

• Inappropriate legal frameworks for the

implementation of RE and RUE.

• Regulatory bases or absence.

• Lack of connection with, and identification

of potential market operators.

• Lack of sustainable energy planning.

• Greater environmental integration

requirements.

• Below long-run marginal cost pricing and

other price distortions.

30

• Lack of qualified information.

• Lack of trained personnel and technical

and managerial expertise.

• High transaction costs.

• High initial capital costs or lack of access

to credit. High user discount rates.

• Mismatch of the incidence of investment.

• Mismatch of the incidence of investment

costs and energy savings.

The need for an Island Strategy:

Instruments for change

Based on the need to overcome existing

barriers to achieve island energy

sustainability, it is necessary to start

actions tending to:

• Promoting and harmonising co-operation

both at an island and international level,

particularly within the fields of training,

research, technological transfer and

industry alliances.

• Supporting regional inter-island co-

operation with regard to the transfer of

replicable experiences and the consolida-

tion of service and information networks

• Helping, where necessary, to draw up

energy policies, rules and guidelines

applicable to islands, as well as efficiently

improving islands' capacity for planning,

management and supervision.

• Promoting a thorough auditing of the

possibility of developing new and

renewable energy sources on islands

• Developing the necessary awareness

actions that will allow the essential role of

renewable energies within the energy

supply and island environment protection

framework to be strengthened.

• Promoting the widest possible dissemi-

nation of renewable energy applications

in different sectors of economic activity

and geographical situations.

• Supporting appropriate funding actions,

and the appropriate institutional and

regulation reforms.

• Developing legal and financial frame-

works favourable to RES.

• Identifying priority projects and imple-

menting them by organising partnerships

between private and public sector.

• Supporting actions aimed at improving

demand management, in order to achieve

a reduction in energy needs and in the

related environmental costs and impacts.

KEY ISSUESStrategies andRecommendations

Energy EfficiencyEnergy efficiency improvement has been

identified as one of the most practical

measures that can be taken at this stage,

since most islands are unable to make

radical shifts in their energy mix over the

short term. There is a need to look at the

full range of efficiency means, with due

consideration to the special situations of

islands. Improving the efficiency of energy

production, distribution and utilization will

lead to a reduction of the energy consump-

tion per unit of energy service.

Many technological options exist for

improving energy efficiency in residential

and commercial buildings, the tourism

sector, industry, transportation, agriculture

and forestry. While numerous technologies

to improve energy efficiency and manage

energy demand more effectively are readily

available, new developments can enhance

the potential of this option further.

Developing techniques and procedures for

increasing savings and for a more efficient

use of available energy is an essential

complement to incorporating renewable

energy sources. Fitting energy vectors to

final use, choosing the most efficient and

appropriate equipment to meet the require-

ments of island consumption, incorporating

control systems and adopting good

practises are solutions that are generally

within our reach already, allowing a more

rational sizing of energy demand.

Squandering energy, forced on us by the

scale and new models of island consump-

tion, is something that is generally inadmis-

sible. Suitable demand management,

therefore, is vital, in order to reap the social,

economic and environmental benefits of

renewable energy.

Recommendations

• Improving the efficiency of production,

transmission and distribution of energy

and materials.

• Improving energy efficiency in public,

residential and commercial buildings and

in tourist infrastructures.

• Address the lack of skilled human

resources, public education and aware-

ness, and develop clear appropriate

policies, technology choices, taxes,

duties, subsidies and rebate incentives.

The resolution of these will contribute to

energy efficiency, to reduction in energy

demand and greenhouse gas emissions

and other pollution.

• Carry out power system loss assess-

ments or energy audits in the power

utilities in islands within an appropriate

penalty regime, implement a loss

reduction program, and develop appropri-

ate specifications for the procurement of

power supply equipment that will not

contribute to energy inefficiencies.

• Establishing energy audit mechanisms

and monitoring systems.

• Supporting research, development and

demonstration, as well as education and

public awareness programs.

• Disseminating technology options for

improving end-use energy efficiency in

the residential, tourist and commercial

buildings sector, including wider

diffusion of technologies, such as more

efficient equipment and appliances;

efficient heating and air-conditioning

systems; and more efficient building

envelope designs. The introduction and

adoption of tariff and customs reform to

encourage the wider utilization of energy

efficient appliances and equipment

through star rating programs and the

introduction of minimum energy

performance standards (MEPS) for

equipment and appliances will assist in

meeting these requirements.

• Following the recommendations of the

Cagliari Declaration, it is recognised that

island local authorities can play an

important role within this process,

31

developing active policies aimed to

improve energy management, including

sensitisation of island residents and

visitors in favour of rational use of energy.

Towards 100% RenewableEnergy SourcesWithout any doubt European islands are

privileged laboratories of energy

sustainability. This reality is confirmed by

the development of a wide range of

demonstration projects covering all the

aspects related with large-scale implemen-

tation of RES and by the big diversity of

initiatives tending to a stronger integration

and hybridisation of all indigenous the

available, indigenous energy sources.

Nevertheless, if we consider the available

RES potential, the problems derived from

the use of conventional sources and the

environmental impact of their infrastruc-

tures, we reach the conclusion that the

present-day exploitation of RES on islands

is a lot below its actual possibilities. Island

conditions advise not to put a limit to the

network development, bringing to unjusti-

fied self-limitations. Present-day 100% RES

projects fully justify this position.

The Cagliari Declaration specifies, with

regard to this issue, that a request should be

made to the European Parliament to

prioritise a definitive takeoff of RES on

islands through clear financial and fiscal

incentives. The same Forum requests to

promote a specific policy and regulation

favourable to renewables for European

islands.

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Advancement of Renewables and the

introduction of rational energy use generally

require a supporting legal and regulatory

framework to be established.

Regulatory tools should be promoted,

allowing:

• the establishment of advanced financial

and fiscal measures, specific for each

island reality.

• the prioritisation of environmental criteria

when making energy choices.

• Ensuring energy supply and its quality.

• Consolidating the use of local renewable

energy resources.

• the simplification of administrative

obstacles for RE suppliers.

Fiscal and Funding measures

The environmental and social benefits of

renewable energies on islands justify

favourable funding conditions. Applicable

actions include:

• flexible depreciation of renewable energy

investments.

• favourable fiscal treatment for third party

financing of renewable energies.

• financial support for investment, start up

subsidies for new productions plants,

SME's and new job creation.

• financial support for consumers to

purchase RE and RUE equipment and

services.

• introduction of innovative financing

measures, including micro-credits.

• guaranteed prices.

• grants for innovation projects and for

those of general interest.

• removal of the unfair disadvantages

imposed on the renewables by political

pricing, which often protects conventional

energy sources.

• prioritisation of public renewable energy

funds over other conventional options.

General market measures

• Promote an enhancement of local

entrepreneurial and business manage-

ment capacity.

• Support for RES market development

and commercialisation.

• Develop demand-side management

programmes.

• Support for energy service companies.

• Enhance the institutional dialogue with

the private sector.

• Create co-operation frameworks with

main market actors.

• Create markets through price support

and regulation.

• Favour inter-island partnerships, which

allow better market scales.

Fair Access for Renewables to the

Electricity Market

• Get distribution system operators to

accept renewable electricity when offered

to them, subject to provisions on trans-

port in the internal market in electricity.

• Establish guidelines on the price to be

paid to generators using renewable

sources, which should at least be equal to

the cost of electricity that has been saved

on a low voltage grid of a distributor plus a

premium reflecting the renewables' social

and environmental benefits and the

manner in which it is financed: tax breaks,

etc.

• Avoid discrimination among electricity

produced from solar radiation, biomass,

hydro-energy and wind.

• Build the necessary infrastructure for

renewable energy (planning, grid connec-

tion regulations).

• Plan accumulation systems that guaran-

tee the maximum use of RES in electricity

production: water desalination, pumping,

charging electric vehicles, etc..

Market Acceptability and Consumer

Protection

• Implement appropriate public education

and awareness programmes, including

consumer incentives to promote energy

conservation.

• Enhance consumer information on quality

goods and services for renewable

energies.

• Establish standards at island level, with

the aim of maintaining minimum levels of

guarantee and reliability, given the specific

features of island requirements.

• In order to respond to and mobilise the

existing strong public support for renew-

able energies, products should be clearly

labelled as such and best practise

experiences, in particular for services and

system operation (a typical field for this is

passive solar applications), should be

collected and widely disseminated.

• Set up regional focal points for information

and consumer advice. Good practices

guidelines - labelling

32

Energy Agencies

The creation of local Energy Agencies for

Islands is an essential step towards a

rational development of island states and

regions. Their creation is a necessity for

studying, on the energy potential of

renewables, the economic and technical

aspects of RE implantation, and its

maximum penetration in island grids, on a

local scale.

The agencies would play a fundamental role in:

• carrying out extensive energy audits of

the renewable energy potential of islands.

• promoting demand side management

aimed at reducing energy needs.

• evaluating technologies and markets.

• providing assistance to island market

actors.

• supporting regional centres.

Networks for the promotion of renewable

energy technology, such as the European

Island OPET, play an important role in

strengthening island agencies, increasing

the capacity of transfer of projects and co-

operation between the different island

regions.

Clean and alternative transportsThe transportation sector is a predominant

consumer of imported energy and this is of

growing concern to islands. Transportation

creates special problems and concerns for

islands, especially for island tourist

destinations and for the most isolated ones.

The urgent need to implement sustainable

mobility strategies and to introduce

alternative vehicles on islands is justified by

the enormous weight of this sector on the

consumption of primary energy (up to 50%)

and in the large ecologic impact of the

present vehicles for inland transport.

Recommendations

• Promoting efforts to manage growth in

demand for transportation in the wider

context of sustainable development.

• Promoting, as appropriate, alternative

fuels ensuring that technologies are

proven, the costs are affordable, training

and public awareness is provided, and

the necessary infrastructure to establish

these is available.

• Improving energy efficiency within each

transportation mode, including sea

transport.

• Developing transportation management

policies that would improve the effective-

ness and availability of public transport

systems.

• Promotion of new, zero and ultra-low

emission transport technologies (hybrid

and electric vehicles, fuel cells, ...) that

can sustain themselves and allow a better

RES exploitation.

• Promotion of Targeted Transport Projects

on alternative vehicles, especially on

tourist islands.

Water and energyThe interdependence water-energy is

increasingly evident on islands, and some-

times it even brings to a single management

system for both. It is a determining factor of

present development models.

There is an increasing relation between

energy management and water production

on island territories. New energy demands

have been introduced in the island water

cycle, allowing a better optimisation of

resources: pumping, water transfers,

purification and desalination.

Within this context, the mentioned insularity

features are in favour of an advisable

alliance between renewable energies and

water production through desalination. An

alliance that is still more necessary in the

increasing tourist specialisation framework

of many islands.

Recommendations

• Promotion of large-scale desalination

projects based on RES.

• Support to autonomous demonstration

projects aimed to water and energy

production by means of renewable

sources, in particular on tourist islands

and sensitive island areas.

• Development of desalination systems to

be used as storing and regulating

systems, for a better penetration of RES

in islands' grids.

TourismTourist industry emerged with an unusual

strength on most islands. European islands

see that the tourist activity has gradually

become an important part of their GIP and

an expectation of future development.

Large-scale inclusion of renewable energy

sources in the tourist sector, and in the hotel

sector in particular, clearly is an already

demonstrated, competitive and efficient

option. It is not hazardous to say that the

greatest industry of our planet is one of the

strategic sectors candidates for a large-

scale implementation of RES-based energy

solutions.

Nevertheless we must admit that penetra-

tion of RET solutions within the European

islands' tourist sector is surprisingly low.

Recommendations• The development of best practise

guidelines on RUE and RES should be

promoted, as well as their voluntary

adoption by the different actors of the

island tourism industry. Guidelines and

Codes of Conduct in sectors like tourism,

transport, building, small industry and

services demonstrated their efficacy in

many islands. Sometimes these guides

are at the base of labels that differentiate

services and products according to their

energy quality.

• Standards and labels are powerful tools that

guarantee and control appropriate imple-

mentation of RES and RUE technologies.

• Establishment of efficient alliances and

systems of information and cooperation

between technological agents and the

tourist sector, on the line started by the

Tech-Island Tourism Forum.

• Promotion of Renewable Energy Tech-

nologies through eco-labels and environ-

mental management systems in hotels,

following, as an example, the require-

ments developed by initiatives such as the

Institute of Responsible Tourism.

• Establishment by local authorities of

accurate requirements in favour of RES in

the development of tourism planning on

islands.

Towards 100% RES strategy:A Global Model for a change

35

The energy that is consumed on an island

has to be produced there as well. This on

site production leads to several major

logistical, economical, environmental and

social constraints. As and added odd,

refined oil goods have to be imported for

the transport sector (cars, lorries, busses,

ships, airplanes, construction vehicles,

etc), which leads to special requirements

for harbours (infrastructure, storage, safety,

etc).

Energy management is one of the more

important aspects an island government

has to deal with. In fact, electrification plays

a major role in the development of any

island. Focusing on heat and electricity, this

management copes with the generation,

transport and usage strategies. Three

energy production schemes are possible:

• Centralised energy production: A single

plant or a small group of plants produces

most of the energy (electrical, thermal or

both), which is then distributed by a

network to the demand sites on the island.

• Decentralised energy production: Energy

is produced on site, where demanded, by

a certain amount of small plants. No

distribution network is present.

• Combined centralised and decentralised:

This scheme is typical on islands where

the distribution network covers the

demand of urban population only.

Thermal plants or generators burning petrol

derivatives or natural gas usually produce

electricity and heat.

Renewable energies offer a clean and

sustainable approach to energy production.

The potential for renewable energy sources

is very site specific, with sun, wind,

waterfalls, geothermal or biomass being the

more commonly used. However, all of them

suffer from smaller or bigger behaviour

irregularities as well as a quite unpredict-

Towards 100% RES strategyA Global Model for a change

able supply nature, both often leading to

reduce the possibilities of a more intensive

use.

In centralised production schemes, the use

of renewable energy sources can produce

grid instability as power fluctuates.

In stand-alone systems, high investments

are made basing system dimensioning on

worst case scenarios, thus oversizing

energy production and storage elements.

This leads to high energy costs when

compared to centralised distribution.

Nevertheless, islands are a perfect scale

model for 100% applications of RES. In the

diagram is a previous approach to reach an

autonomous island system completely

powered with renewables, with a buffer

zone of sustainability. In the following

chapters, each of the phases will be

explained thoroughly.

Rational Use of EnergyWhen substituting conventional energy for

renewable energy, it is indispensable to give

a very high priority to increasing the overall

efficiency of energy use. There is a large

technical potential for meeting the needs of

island society with much less energy use.

Residential, transportation, tourism and

power distribution sectors (and at a smaller

scale, also the small industry, excepting

very specific situations) are the areas with

larger possibilities for the application of

measures relative to rational use of energy

on islands.

If we pay attention to the various plans and

studies made on energy consumption and

36

sustainability on european islands, we can

see that the saving potential fluctuates

between 40 and 50% of possible reduction

of primary energy. Some of the works and

initiatives developed in this field draw the

attention on the necessary precautions that

should prevail at the time to uphold an

energy saving scenario, where a bigger

energy availability, which until this moment

was a barrier to a certain type of growth,

involves the development of sectors or an

increase in population unwished by a

sustainable development strategy of the

island.

Residential

In buildings, energy efficiency means using

less energy for heating, cooling, and

lighting. It also means buying energy-saving

appliances and equipment for use in a

building. An important concept for energy

efficiency in buildings is the building

envelope, which is everything that sepa-

rates the interior of the building from the

outdoor environment: the doors, windows,

walls, foundation, roof, and insulation. All

the components of the building envelope

need to work together to keep a building

warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Various approaches can help improving the

building envelope. Insulated windows and

doors can reduce heat loss when tempera-

tures drop. In warm regions, windows with

special glazing can let in daylight without

heat gain.

Heating and cooling systems typically use

the most energy in a building. It is desirable

the substitution of heating and cooling

systems by bioclimatic concepts in the

building's design. If it is not possible, or

only a part of the demand can be substi-

tuted, the addition of efficient controls, like

programmable thermostat, can significantly

reduce the energy use of these systems.

Some homes can also use zone heating

and cooling systems, which reduce heating

and cooling in the unused areas of a home.

And in commercial buildings, water-heating

systems can provide the best approach to

energy-efficient heating.

The energy used to heat water can be

reduced by both heating water more

efficiently and by reducing hot water use. A

wide variety of fixtures, such as low-flow

showerheads, can reduce hot water use. In

a home, the water heater and hot water

pipes can be insulated to minimize heat loss.

Today, most common appliances and

electronic devices are available in energy-

efficient models, from clothes washers and

refrigerators to copiers and computers.

Several energy-efficient lighting options,

such as compact fluorescent light bulbs,

are also available.

It is necessary to determine how energy

efficient a building really is and, if needed,

what improvements can be made. Home-

owners must conduct simple energy audits

on their homes or have professional audits

done.

During the commissioning of new buildings,

a number of tests and adjustments can be

performed to ensure that the heating,

cooling, lighting, ventilation, and other

mechanical systems work together

effectively and efficiently. Once the systems

are commissioned, their proper operation

and maintenance is essential to efficient

energy use.

In the framework of energy rationality for

the residential sector we also rely on

multiple experiences of integral exploitation,

such as the application of the concept

"District heating from CHP plants". District

heating pipework supplies heat to various

buildings by way of heat exchangers. Peak

electrical demand is accommodated by

importing electricity from the national grid.

At off peak times electricity is supplied into

the local grid from the cogeneration unit.

Heat production plants can be both

conventional power stations using co-

generation (transitional process) and plants

based on renewable fuels.

Transport

The enormous burden represented by

inland transport within the island energy

budget suggests transforming the meas-

ures of rational use of transports into a key

piece of the energy sustainability strategy.

New transportation technologies are

obviously essential to improve both effi-

ciency and emissions of vehicles, providing

cleaner-burning alternative fuels, and reduce

the distance that individual vehicles travel on

the roads and highways. But together with

the introduction of LEV (Low Emission

Vehicles) and ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicles)

it is necessary to adopt measures, allowing

the use of transports really suitable to island

realities and sustainable mobility strategies

that avoid absurd situations where the

increase in the ratio km of built road/number

of vehicles is directly proportional to

decrease in accessibility.

A variety of approaches can be employed to

slow the growth of vehicles on the road and

reduce the vehicle distance travelled.

Since most vehicle kilometers are used for

37

commuting, proper urban planning - for

instance, with centrally located services

and a good public transportation system-

can minimize or eliminate the need to use a

vehicle.

Encouraging carpooling is an inexpensive

approach to reducing vehicle traffic. One

incentive is to set up high-occupancy

vehicle lanes to smooth the commute for

those in carpools.

Mass Transit Systems: Mass transit

systems are the ideal urban transportation

mode, and include bus and rail systems,

among others.

Alternative Transportation: One way to

reduce vehicle traffic is to encourage

alternative modes of travel, including biking

and walking. Bike paths and pedestrian

paths are essential components of encour-

aging alternative transportation.

Industry

Creating industrial products is extremely

energy intensive, so simple measures such

as optimizing and maintaining equipment

can save enormous amounts of energy.

Recent technological advances in the

design of boilers and furnaces allow them

to operate at higher temperatures while

using less energy. This technology is not

only more efficient, but is also cleaner.

Motors to power pumps, fans and blowers,

air compressors and other mechanical

devices are used in nearly all types of

industrial production. The most energy-

efficient motors are equipped with control-

lers and variable speed drives to help the

motors match output with the energy

necessary for the task.

Some industries can use their waste heat as

power, which has tremendous potential for

energy efficiency in industry. This is called

combined heat and power systems, or

cogeneration. Such combined heat and

power systems achieve higher thermal

efficiencies than stand-alone power plants.

Some CHP systems even generate more

power than can be used on site, and in

some cases this energy may be sold to a

utility. CHP is one form of distributed

generation, in which power is generated

close to where it's used, thereby reducing

the strain on power transmission systems.

Tourist Sector

Energy saving and rationality measures in

the tourist sector started to give excellent

results in the last years due to the introduc-

tion of eco-labels and environmental

certifications. The special management of

high-efficient environmental management

structure of a hotel or tourist resort allows

the implementation systems.

This is an essential way to control and limit

energy demand on tourist islands, where

the variable seasonal or punctual peaks

deriving from tourist demand oblige to

system oversizing and often involve

unbearable added energy costs. For

instance, in a few small mediterranean

islands, tourism-related air conditioning

devices can absorb in certain periods the

35% of the total electric sproduction.

Experiences such as those carried out by

the Biosphere Hotels Network, supported

by the Institute of Responsible Tourism,

demonstrated the huge number of possibili-

ties arising thanks to the establishment of

strategic and technological alliances in the

tourist sector.

Power Distribution

Energy storage can improve the efficiency

and reliability of the electric utility system by

reducing the requirements for spinning

reserves to meet peak power demands,

allowing greater use of intermittent renew-

able energy technologies. Energy storage

technologies include utility battery storage,

flywheel storage, superconducting mag-

netic energy storage, compressed air

energy storage, pumped hydropower, and

supercapacitors.

On the other hand, the Demand Side

Management (DSM), carried out by the

utilities supplying electricity to consumers,

can help notably to reduce the energy

consumption. DSM refers to actions taken

on the customer's side of the meter to

change the amount or timing of energy

consumption. Utility DSM programs offer a

variety of measures that can reduce energy

consumption and consumer energy

expenses.

Small, modular electricity generators sited

close to the customer load can enable

utilities to defer or eliminate costly invest-

ments in transmission and distribution

system upgrades, and provide customers

with more reliable energy supplies and a

cleaner environment.

Water and EnergyWater's energy dimension is increasingly

getting its way within island development

strategies. For many small and medium-

sized islands, and in particular for those with

a high tourist penetration, water availability is

directly related with energy availability, as

energy is needed to cover desalination,

pumping or purification requirements.

Therefore the water cycle can and should be

conceived in energy terms.

It is typical for many islands to suffer from

water shortage problems. The reason is

usually one of the following:

• Climatic reasons (low rainfall)

• Population concentration, which can be

seasonal (tourism), overwhelming local

production capacities.

• Inefficient use of water resources.

• Distribution losses (reaching 40% in

certain areas)

A modern integral water management

should base on a production-usage-

recycling-disposal policy. Fresh water is

produced or retrieved at some place, then it

is stored waiting for usage. Waste waters

are treated and recycled for agricultural

use, and final wastes are disposed with

minimal environmental impact.

Seawater desalination, together with

recycling policies, can be considered as a

sustainable way of producing fresh water.

Commonly used desalination techniques

are distillation processes and membrane

processes, but from the energetic point of

view they can be considered as mainly heat

consuming or mainly electricity consuming

processes, respectively.

38

Seawater desalination is a relatively high

energy consuming process. Typical figures

for the production of 1 cubic meter of fresh

water are over 10 kWh for commercial

distillation processes and 4-7 kWh for

commercial R.O. (Reverse Osmosis)

processes with energy recovery. Anyhow,

large per capita quantities of energy are

needed to completely supply the water

demand of a given population. The typical

water consumption is between 125 and 200

litres per person, depending on living

standards. From a sectoral point of view,

agriculture normally requires a larger

amount of fresh water, depending on

several factors.

Compared to electricity or heat, water

storage is a quite simple matter. Water

tanks are easy to build, and the materials

and skills are worldwide available. Moreo-

ver, they are long lasting enough to

consider return of investment in the long

term not being very risky. Water storage is

thus a straightforward issue for most

islands. Even more, it is a necessity

derived from water management policies.

Renewable energy sources suffer from

irregular energy supply, leading either to

oversizing systems and dumping overpro-

duction, or infra-use and stronger external

dependency. However, with an increasing

demand for water, as well as the developing

of more energy efficient and adaptive

desalination technologies, penetration of

renewable energies can now be pushed to

much higher levels, making water produc-

tion sites play a major role as a variable

load, by absorbing production peaks and

adapting to energy demand peaks by

means of downregulating output. As water

can be stored without difficulties for longer

periods, water demand peaks do not have

to affect water production rates, as large

reservoirs can act as buffers.

There are two main desalination tech-

niques:

• Thermal Processes (distillation): it is

based on heating salt water and con-

densing vapour, which is the salt-free.

There are several techniques, including

Multi-Stage Flash Distillation (MSF),

Multi-Effect Distillation (MED), and

Vapour Compression Distillation (VC).

• Membrane Processes: it uses the ability

of the membranes to differenciate and

separate salts and water. These proc-

esses include Electrodialysis (ED, which

is a voltage-driven process) and Reverse

Osmosis (RO, which is a pressure-

driven process).

Other processes include freezing, mem-

brane distillation and solar humidification.

In the following diagram, a strategy for the

supply of fresh water and its energy

requirements can be seen. If water

resources are scarce, desalination should

cover water needs. The process used

depends on the type of water available and

the available energy sources (thermal or

electric). Various branches of this diagram

may be used simultaneously.

In a 100% RES approach, the extra energy

requirements for desalination should be

taken into account when making the energy

balance for a 100% RES supply.

TransportsMobility is the reason and consequence of the

social and economical development of a

community. The environment can be

dramatically damaged if this need is irration-

ally fulfilled or its growth in uncontrolled.

With regard to islands, transport is nowa-

days a very big factor of risk, in particular for

tourist islands. Imported models of non-

adapted conventional transports suppose

that at present 50-65% of the island energy

is absorbed by inefficient mobility systems.

But the big impact for island economies and

societies is not only reduced to the economic

and energy dimensions, which are obviously

important, but also affects conservation of

the scarce soil resources, with road

densities of more than 0.60 km/km2 in some

WATE

R

39

cases, landscape and fragile ecosystem

maintenance, which are at the base of many

of our economies, and the quality of life in

our settlements. Mobility models, both

obligatory (working or studying purposes)

and voluntary (for social and consuming

purposes, tourism, leisure) have suddenly

changed. Some European islands have

reached the amazing rate of 900 vehicles

per 1000 inhabitants, without a worthy

accessibility improvement.

Alliance between alternative transports and

renewables is converted in this way into a

key piece of island sustainable develop-

ment, an essential feature of the 100%

RES strategy.

The main negative impacts that vehicles

have in the socio-economical aspects are:

traffic jam, pollution, noise, accidents,

dispersed habitat, soil waste (roads,

dynamical space) and consumption of non-

renewable energy. Regarding pollutants,

transport in private vehicles in the Euro-

pean Community is responsible of 78% of

CO2 emissions, 63% of NOx, 30% of COx,

and 1% of SO2, not to mention lead and

particle emissions.

The new advances recorded in the field of

Clean Vehicles and Fuel Technologies allow

stating that it is possible to incorporate

cleaner and more efficient means of

transport, which can also mark a productive

alliance with renewable energy sources. In

the last ten years a wide range of new

technologies invaded the market, support-

ing the possibility of a change. Within this

wide range of new possibilities are: Natural

Gas Vehicle, Battery electric buses and

vans, Clean Diesel buses, Electric trams,

Hybrid Vehicles, and Fuel Cells.

In a 100% strategy, the first step before

converting the conventional vehicle fleet to

electric, hybrid or biofuel is to promote the

use of public transport and the rational use

of the private vehicle (promoting higher

occupation rates). The advantages are

clearly seen in the following table and

example (Figure 1):

A private vehicle requires between 12 and

30 times more dynamical space per

passenger than public transport. Moreover,

people tend to use the car even in cases

where other methods are faster. In fact, car

is the fastest method only for distances

over 8 km. For shorter distances, walk,

bicycle or tram is faster.

In addition, by promoting higher occupation

of private vehicles, at least in peak hours,

traffic collapses and collateral effects would

be reduced. There are different tools to

achieve this, like awareness campaigns

and exclusive fast lanes for vehicles with 3

or more passengers. Other drastic methods

include urban tolls and parking limitations.

In the following example it can be seen the

savings of 10.000 persons in a 20 km daily

transport during a year. The fist hypothesis

assumes the use of private vehicles (1,25

passengers) and the second one assume

7.500 people uses the tram (Figure 2).

The measures under consideration to

advance towards rational transport

systems can be sub-divided into two broad

groups:

Transport Management Measures

• Area-Wide Traffic Restrictions

• Bus Priority

• Cycle Facilities

• Information & Telematics

• Integration & Image

• Comprehensive mobility management

schemes

• Marketing

Other regulatory measures

• Pricing and taxation

• Land-Use and Mobility Planning

• Land-Use Planning Applications

• Policy Measures such as pedestrianisa-

tion

These measures should be taken prior to

the progressive change to hydrogen (fuel

cells), electrical and bio-fuel powered

vehicles. In this final stage of 100% RES

transports, we find the added advantage

that they can be turned into excellent

systems for accumulating the surplus of

When translating these figures to economic expenses and savings:

Figure 1

Figure 2

40

energy produced from renewables, since

the possibility of storing electricity directly

or use it for the additional production of

hydrogen.

BuildingGlobal demand for

heating or cooling of

island buildings for

residential use, tourist

use, offices

and public

buildings,

absorbs,

depending on

the different

cases, between

30 and 40% of

electric production and between

10 and 15% of other conventional

sources of energy (LPG, fuel-oil,

coal...). This involves that 15-

20% of the final energy con-

sumed on islands, is used for

climatisation, HWC.

Bioclimatic architecture is hard to define,

especially if seen not only from the

structural point of view, but from its relation

with the surroundings. It can even include

exchanges of energy, water and wastes

once the building is finished. These

concepts have been known since ancient

times and are found in the traditional island

dwellings, which show a huge repertory of

building solutions generated as a reply to

an historical water scarcity. It is therefore

an inspiration source for the application of

new solutions that cannot be left behind.

The objective of the building is to protect

the inhabitant from external weather

inclemency. Nevertheless buildings have

been transformed to a completely closed

space, without any interactions with the

surroundings. Instead of taking advantage

of the climate and its resources, energy-

consuming devices are used to create an

artificial climate.

Bioclimatic buildings take into account the

comfort of the inhabitant, taking maximum

advantage of appropriate climate condi-

tions, and reducing the energy consump-

tion of the building. To meet these require-

ments, the following design criteria should

be applied:

• Solar Gain Control

• External Gain Control

• Internal Gain Control

• Use of the Thermal Inertia

• Natural Ventilation

• Daylighting Techniques

Fuel cells powered bus

An example of PV Integration in architecture. Layout of the

photovoltaic tiles system. Blue Architecture 2000 - BMC Solar

Industrie.

A new concept of sustainable mobility is essential to stop this process of degradation.

41

These design aspects should be closely

related to the use of active captation

elements for the production of clean energy,

as well as an overall policy of the building

for the recycling, reuse and reduction of

As seen in the diagram, energy expenses in a house or building usually go to lighting, appliances,

water heating and air heating and cooling. First of all, rational use can severely reduce energy

expenses, together with devices to reduce consumption (see RUE section).

wastes. Moreover, the building interacts

with its surroundings. Therefore the

following aspects should be studied:

• Building Adaptability

• Location

• Materials

• Vegetation

• Engineering and Services

As it is logical, when the repertory of

passive measures is exhausted, it will be

necessary to introduce active systems to

fulfil the energy demand. Solar thermal

applications in buildings are based on

mature technologies of easy spreading. In

this case, one of the building challenges

that is normally posed regards the integra-

tion capacity of these elements within the

design of the house.

In the last years we have been witnesses of

the generalisation of innovator solutions

such as the inclusion of photovoltaic panels

in the roofs of the houses or also the

creation of very innovator elements such as

photovoltaic tiles.

TourismIf the impact of eco-labels involved on many

islands the start of a rational use of energy

strategy in the tourist sector, especially in

hotels, the same cannot be affirmed with

regard to the incorporation of RET.

Except for a large number of isolated

realisations, especially in the fielsd of solar

thermal, the average use of renewables in

this sector does not exceed 3-4% of the

energy required. This is particularly

important for mass tourist island destina-

tions where the energy demand from

tourism can reach up to 40% of the total

energy demand of the island (excepting

transport).

This low level of penetration is surprising, if

we think that the tourist industry normally is

an extraordinarily active sector open to

innovation. Only a few hotel chains started

a serious process of RES incorporation in

their activity. That is the reason of the

evident division between the different

actors.

Among the detected measures that are

being carried out to cover this big defi-

ciency we emphasize:

• Inclusion of bioclimatic criteria by local

authorities among the building require

Bioclimatic building working scheme

42

ments of the tourist activity planning.

• Inclusion of requirements regarding the

maximum use of RES in eco-labels and

voluntary standards of the tourist

industry.

• Establishment of strategic and investor

alliances between tour operators and

energy operators.

• Application of fiscal criteria favourable to

the incorporation of RET in the sector.

• Establishment of new communication

channels that allow covering the informa-

tion deficiencies and supporting the

replication of successful projects. A good

example is being developed through the

Tech-Island Tourism Forum.

• Incorporation of Renewable Energies in

the destination's image, transforming this

factor into an added value for tourist

marketing, as it has already been done

with eco-labels.

· Promoting tourist centres and cities as

preferential objectives of the Targeted

Transport Projects on alternative

transports. This preference is justified by

two basic reasons. The first is that the

incorporation of non-polluting and silent

transports greatly improves the tourist

destination's quality and can be even

turned into a new attraction. The second

is the demonstrative character of the

actions, as we don't have to forget that

some 50 million Europeans spend every

year their holidays in island territories.

Energy Centralization orDistributed Energy SystemsNowadays planet Earth is gestating a true

energy revolution, very similar to the one of

informatics that made big central comput-

ers disappear to give place to distributed

networks of microcomputers in a very short

time.

Nowadays people start to be aware of the

added economic and environmental values

given by the Distributed Energy Systems,

based on small-scale installations:

modularity, shorter delivery terms, diversity

of fuels and diminution of vulnerability with

regard to prices, reliability and resistance,

sable quality and security conditions of

supply.

Now new micro-energy technologies exist

having powers on the range of one millionth

of conventional thermal plants and propor-

tionally produce a lot less pollution than

them, or are no-polluting at all. They open

the door to energy production in the same

place where it is needed, avoiding to build

big thermal plants and huge supply

systems. 'Gen-sets', micro-turbines and

Sttirling engines, are some examples of

modern technologies that generate

electricity by burning biologic or fossil fuel,

which should be implemented in the

transition process towards the 100% RES

on large and medium islands. They are a

possible transition towards the generalisa-

tion of solar roofs, aero-generators and fuel

cells, which are the actual option to

produce energy without 'burning' anything.

But on most islands macro-generation is

still preferred, and distribution is neglected.

Therefore the possibilities of a maximum

development of distributed micro-generation

and clean and renewable energies are

restricted. If we maintain inefficient energy

systems we risk missing the train of the

newborn energy revolution.

no need to build big power plants nor big

supply networks, diminution of losses and

connections, local and Community control,

diminution and sometimes elimination of

emissions and environmental impacts.

Nowadays it is not possible to justify big

power plants on islands, either being them

combined cycle ones (more efficient than

conventional thermal plants), or including

co-generation (which better utilize the

primary energy source), unless their

building and functioning allows to close

similar, more polluting plants, such as

thermal plants using fossil or liquid fuels or

nuclear plants.

Today there is no need to increase central-

ised generation capacity, as technologies

exist to do it in a distributed way, decreas-

ing the vulnerability of present centralised

systems. This vulnerability is put into

evidence as liberalisation moves forward,

pressing only on generation and forgetting

distribution. This vulnerability has already

been made clear in mainland's advanced

areas. The present problem is not to

generate enough energy, but to be able to

make it reach the consumption areas under

acceptable conditions. Energy for islands is

already a "service" that must fulfil indispen-

43

Electric supply

Application of the different types of

renewable energies strongly depends on

the resource available on site. Neverthe-

less, economics is also a crucial factor. By

the end of the XX century, the average

costs for kWh produced were:

Taking a close look at this table will give us

a clue on the profitability of each RES. As

we can observe, wind power has a

prevailing position with regard to its large-

scale implementation in terms of costs, and

Renewable Energies Sourcesand Technologies

On islands, the electric power demand fluctuates between 30 and 40%of the total primary energy, even within a scenario of rational use ofenergy. That is the reason why one of the fundamental objectives ofthe 100% RES strategy is to guarantee, under optimal conditions, elec-tric supply starting from renewable energies.

appears to be the most rational option if

compared with other conven-

tional energy sources, logically

if we include their external

costs. In fact, most islands

have plenty of wind resources

available.

Some islands have, however,

features that allow important

exploitations of other renew-

able energy sources

(geothermic, hydraulic or from biomass),

sometimes concomitant to the lack of wind.

As a rule, these energy sources are

implemented as a complement of wind-

powered electricity production. Figure 1

shows the typical decision diagram at the

time of evaluating the possibilities of

penetration of the different renewable

energy sources to guarantee energy

electric supply.

The machines that transform wind energy

in a usable one are called wind turbines or

generators, and their power ranges from a

few watts to megawatts. The main gener-

ated energy is mechanical, but it can be

transformed to electrical with a gearbox and

an electrical generator.

Wind systems available commercially at

present are reliable intermediate size, two-

or three-blade horizontal axis turbines, with

rotors diameters in the range of 30 to 60

meters and with power ratings in the range

of 300 to 1,500 kW. 2; MW machines are

also commercially available. They

are cost competitive if operated

under a suitable wind regime (sites

with over 2700 equivalent hours),

with amortization periods of approxi-

mately five years. Even though wind

turbines in the MW range are

proportionally more expensive than

medium sized machines, they have

made a breakthrough in the wind

energy market nowadays.

The generation costs of wind energy

are determined by the investment

cost, economic parameters, system

efficiency, wind speed, annual

average power output, technical

availability, O&M costs and lifetime.

Present machine costs are 300-600

Euro per m2, and infrastructure

costs (foundation, transport, etc.)

Figure 1

TYPE OF ENERGY EURO cent per kWh External Costs

Coal 3.70 5.40

Gas 4.00 1.70

Biomass 5.30 0.60

Wind Energy 5.33 0.25

Geothermal Energy 7.00

Small Scale Hydro Power 8.25

Photovoltaics 30.00

Source: DG TREN, 2000 - EC

44

will add 30%, giving an average installed

cost of 600 Euro per m2.

In order to minimize the impacts and

rationalise costs and maintenance, wind

turbines are grouped together in wind

farms, with very variable power according

to requirements and resources of each

island or island region. Under determinate

conditions, when we rely on appropriate

marine installations and good sea condi-

tions, offshore wind farms achieve an

excellent exploitation of wind power, at the

expense of a much higher infrastructure

and maintenance costs.

When a wind farm has to be to set up,

some environmental impacts should be

taken into account, and are basically related

with the effects on bird populations, the

noise generated by blades and generators,

and the impact on landscape. All these are

factors to be considered at the moment to

select the most appropriate location.

Photovoltaic EnergyRegarding solar energy, two devices can be

mentioned: solar collectors and photovoltaic

cells.

Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of

sunlight into electricity using devices made

of thin semiconductors layers; these

devices are called solar cells and a PV

module consists of a number of cells

connected together. The peak output power

of a module, defined as the power delivered

at an irradiance of 1000 W/m2 at 25°C,

ranges from 5 to 120 W. The PV modules

can form PV systems when they are

connected together.

There are two types of PV modules: the flat

plate module and the concentrator module

(it concentrates the incident light onto a

small area). The materials used for the

manufacturing of commercial solar cells are

crystalline silicon (mono or poly crystalline)

and amorphous silicon. There are other

materials in a pre-commercial phase: CdS-

CuS and AsGa.

The lifetime of crystalline silicon is at least

twenty years, and the limits are established

by the corrosion of the module material

glass, metal and plastics. Monocrystalline

silicon cells are the most used and its

efficiency in commercial modules ranges

from 15 to 16%. The module replacement

rate is about 0.2% per year. When talking

about amorphous silicon modules, the light

induced degradation reduces the efficiency

of 5% approximately after the first few

hundred days of operation, which restricts

the application in large stations.

Profitable features of photovoltaics are the

easy assembly, maintenance and long life,

all facts that make it competitive under

severe conditions.

Beside this proven usefulness of photo-

voltaic energy for small-scale electric

View of a wind farm (Tenerife)

Vindeby offshore wind farm (Denmark)

Diagram of a wind turbine (Bonus)

A. Photovoltaic installation with storage in batteries and AC/DC converter

B. Photovoltaic installation - converter and connection to grid

PV Solar roof

45

supply in isolated areas, large-scale

applications start to arise, such as photo-

voltaic stations supporting wind-power

generation, or connection to the grid of

several small systems located on house or

hotel roofs. Inclusion of photovoltaic cells in

house building elements will allow a sudden

jump in the generalised exploitation of

photovoltaics, in spite of the barriers

imposed by their price.

HydropowerHydropower facilities intercept the water on

its downward path, converting its mechani-

cal energy into electricity.

There are several types of hydropower

facilities:

• Storage projects impound water behind a

dam, forming a reservoir. Water is

released through turbine-generators to

produce electricity. The water storage

and release cycles can be relatively

short, for instance, storing water at night

for daytime power generation. Or, the

cycles can be long, storing spring runoff

for generation in the summer when air

conditioner use increases power

demand. Some projects operate on multi-

year cycles carrying over water in a wet

year to offset the effects of dry years.

• Run-of-river projects typically use

relatively low dams where the amount of

water running through the powerhouse is

determined by the water flowing in the

river. Because these plants generally do

not hold back water behind storage

dams, they tend to affect upstream water

levels and downstream stream flow less

than storage projects. Electricity

generation from these plants will vary

with changes in the amount of water

flowing in the river.

• Pumped-storage projects use off-peak

electricity to pump water from a lower

reservoir to an upper reservoir. During

periods of high electrical demand, the

water is released back to the lower

reservoir to generate electricity.

The small hydropower plants normally have

a very low environmental impact and are

easy to be integrated. Hydropower is a

proven mature technology and its operation

has been competitive with other commercial

energy sources for many years.

BiomassThe term "biomass" refers to organic matter

which can be converted into energy, either

as electricity or liquid fuels, such as

ethanol. Some of the most common

biomass energy sources are wood,

agricultural residues, and crops grown

specifically for energy. In addition, it is

possible to convert

municipal waste,

manure or agricultural

products into valuable

fuels for transporta-

tion, industry, and

even residential use.

At present, most

biomass power plants

burn lumber, agricul-

tural or construction/

demolition wood

wastes. Direct combustion power plants

burn the biomass fuel directly in boilers that

supply steam for the same kind of steam-

electric generators used to burn fossil fuels.

With biomass gasification, biomass is

converted into a gas - methane - that can

then fuel steam generators, combustion

turbines, combined cycle technologies or

fuel cells. The primary benefit of biomass

gasification, compared to direct combus-

tion, is that extracted gasses can be used

in a variety of power plant configurations.

Because biomass technologies use

combustion processes to produce electric-

ity, they can generate electricity at any time,

unlike wind and most solar technologies.

This high NOx rate, an effect of the high

nitrogen content of many biomass fuels, is

one of the top air quality concerns associ-

ated with biomass.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is also emitted -

sometimes at levels higher than those for

coal plants.

Biomass plants also release carbon dioxide

(CO2), the primary greenhouse gas.

However, the cycle of growing, processing

and burning biomass recycles CO2 from the

atmosphere. If this cycle is sustained, there

is little or no net gain in atmospheric CO2.

Biomass, while one of oldest fuels known to

humankind for basic cooking and heating,

has been underutilized in recent years as a

modern energy source in an economic

climate favouring fossil fuels. Yet improved

production methods, technological ad-

vances, and political accommodations have

allowed biomass power to reappear on the

radar screen as a viable energy alternative.

Bio

gas

46

Today, biomass is poised to make a major

contribution to domestic and international

electricity and fuel needs while providing

substantial environmental benefits.

Unfortunately, most biomass users today

rely on inefficient and sometimes highly

polluting devices. In the future, modern

technology for using biomass and farms

cultivating high yield energy crops,

including many varieties of trees and

grasses, will significantly expand the

available supply of biomass energy, driving

prices down and helping to create an

economically competitive alternative

energies market.

Ocean EnergyOceans store two types of energy: thermal

energy from the sun's heat, and mechanical

energy from tides and waves. They cover

more than 70% of Earth's surface, making

them the world's largest solar collectors.

The sun warms the surface water a lot

more than the deep ocean water, and this

temperature difference stores thermal

energy.

Ocean Thermal Energy

Conversion Systems

Each day oceans absorb enough heat from

the sun to equal the thermal energy

contained in 250 billion barrels of oil. OTEC

systems convert this thermal energy into

electricity - often while producing

desalinated water.

Three types of OTEC systems can be used

to generate electricity:

• Closed-cycle plants

circulate a working fluid in a

closed system, heating it

with warm seawater,

flashing it to steam, routing

the steam through a turbine,

and then condensing it with

cold seawater.

• Open-cycle plants flash the

warm seawater to steam

and route the steam through a turbine.

• Hybrid plants flash the warm seawater to

steam and use that steam to vaporize a

working fluid in a closed system.

OTEC systems are also envisioned as

being either land-based (or "inshore"), near-

shore (mounted on the ocean shelf), or

offshore (floating).

to extract energy directly from tidal flow

streams. Tidal energy systems can have

environmental impacts on tidal basins

because of reduced tidal flow and silt

buildup.

Wave Energy

In favourable locations, wave energy

density can average 65 Mw per mile of

coastline. Three approaches to capturing

wave energy are:

• Floats or Pitching Devices. These

devices generate electricity from the

bobbing or pitching action of a floating

object. The object can be mounted to a

floating raft or to a device fixed on the

ocean floor.

• Oscillating Water Columns (OWC).

These devices generate electricity from

the wave-driven rise and fall of water in a

cylindrical shaft. The rising and falling

water column drives air into and out of

the top of the shaft, powering an air-

driven turbine.

Tidal Energy

Tidal energy traditionally involves

erecting a dam across the opening

to a tidal basin. The dam includes

a sluice that is opened to allow the

tide to flow into the basin; the

sluice is then closed, and as the

sea level drops, traditional

hydropower technologies can be

used to generate electricity from

the elevated water in the basin.

Some researchers are also trying

47

• Wave Surge or Focusing Devices. These

shoreline devices, also called "tapered

channel" or "tapchan" systems, rely on a

shore-mounted structure to channel and

concentrate the waves, driving them into

an elevated reservoir. Water flow out of

this reservoir is used to generate

electricity, using standard hydropower

technologies.

Geothermal EnergyGeothermal Energy relies on the existence

of a very high temperature source (of the

order 7000ºC) within the earth's core. This

creates a flow of heat from the centre to the

earth's surface. The use of this energy is

based on conventional steam turbine

technology.

Dry steam requires no treatment before

entering the turbine. These plants are

referred to as Dry Steam Power Plants.

Wet steam has lower enthalpy and

therefore less energy to 'lose' within the

turbine and will require higher flow rates to

achieve the same power.

Water stored in aquifers where the

temperature is above its boiling point at

atmospheric pressure, may exist as liquids

at the pressures experienced a few

kilometres into the earth's crust. When they

rise up the borehole the reduction in

pressure can induce boiling and steam

generation (called 'flashing') within the bore.

This is not desirable and under these

circumstances, flashing is suppressed by

pressurising the bore. Upon reaching the

surface, steam is allowed to form which

can be fed into the turbine. Such plants are

referred to as Single Flash.

Typically, 80% of the energy remains stored

as fluid which is effectively waste if no

suitable direct heating application exists

locally. Though adding a significant cost to

the installation, the waste heat is best fed

down a second

borehole back to the

reserve. This helps

extend the life of the

resource. Double Flash

installations can be 20 -

25% more efficient.

Here, the waste hot

water is depressurised

to create more steam

which is then mixed

with exhausted steam

from the first turbine.

The mixture is fed into

a second turbine.

Where temperatures

are too low to induce

significant flashing

(around 100ºC), a fluid

with lower boiling point

(e.g. Pentane or

Butane) may be used

to power the turbine.

The heat of the

geothermal waters is

transferred to such

fluids via a heat

exchanger. Such plants

are referred to as Binary Cycle. This

method has the advantage that relatively

impure sources may be exploited. Such

waters may contain dissolved gases or

have a high salt concentration which may

be detrimental to either the turbine or the

environment. The fluid may be pumped

straight back down a return borehole upon

leaving the heat exchanger, forming a

closed system.

Direct Use. Low Enthalpy sources (below

100ºC) are unsuitable for electricity

generation but may be used as a means to

provide space (and, perhaps water)

heating either to homes and places of

work or for industrial and farming applica-

tions. Here, the final application helps

determine the technology necessary. One

problem with such installations is that the

pressure within the borehole may be

inadequate to bring the water to the

surface and pumping may be necessary.

Where the temperature is inadequate for

the application, heat pumps may be used

to upgrade the heat content.

Hot Dry Rock. The enthalpy and therefore

the application of Hot Dry Rock sources will

depend on the depth of drilling. To extract

the heat from this source it is necessary to

drill two wells and set up a pathway

between them at their base which will act

as a heat exchanger. The pathways are

best achieved by enlarging the natural

fracturing of the rock.

One of the best-established applications is

in agriculture where geothermal heat may

be useful for producing crops out of season

or high value crops which are usually

imported and which therefore are usually

associated with high energy costs due to

this transportation.

StorageSince the variable character of renewable

energy sources, one of the key aspects of

the 100% RES strategy is to find efficient

and low-cost energy storing systems. Their

dimensioning will depend on the right

hybridisation of the different sources

according to the curves of electric demand.

48

Batteries

The electrochemical cells are devices that

transform the chemical energy in electric

power and vice versa. The electrochemical

accumulators or batteries are

electrochemical cells where the reactions

produced in the electrodes is reversible.

Therefore, electrochemical accumulators

can be used to accumulate energy, that at a

later time may be supplied to the network.

Fuel cells

Fuel Cells are like batteries, but they can

produce energy as long as fuel is supplied,

without recharging or exhaustion. A fuel cell

consists of two electrodes sandwiched

around an electrolyte. Oxygen passes over

one electrode and hydrogen over the other,

generating electricity, water and heat.

Hydrogen fuel is fed into the "anode" of the

fuel cell. Oxygen (or air) enters the fuel cell

through the cathode. Encouraged by a

catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a

proton and an electron, which

take different paths to the

cathode. The proton passes

through the electrolyte. The

electrons create a separate

current that can be utilized

before they return to the

cathode, to be reunited with the

hydrogen and oxygen in a

molecule of water.

The reactions on a fuel cell are

chemical, no combustion needed. There-

fore, fuel cells running on hydrogen derived

from a renewable source will be completely

clean. By harnessing the renewable energy

of the sun and wind, researchers are able

to generate hydrogen by using power from

photovoltaics, solar cells, or wind turbines

to electrolyze water into hydrogen and

oxygen. In this manner, hydrogen becomes

an energy carrier - able to transport the

power from the generation site to another

location for use in a fuel cell. This would be

There are several types of batteries, depending on their composition:

Operation Energy Energy Power Auto Lyfe LifetimeCharacteristics Temperature Efficiency Density Density Discharge Cycles (Years) Electrolyte Performance

(ºC) (%) (Wh/Kg) (W/Kg) (%/Mes) (Cycles)

Acid Pb Ambient 80 50 - 60 150 - 200 2 - 15 1500 - 2000 5 - 10 H2SO4

Ni - Cd Ambient 60 - 75 40 - 60 150 - 300 3 - 10 1500 - 3000 5 - 15 KOH Solid

Ni - Fe Ambient 55 - 70 45 - 60 100 - 150 40 - 80 1500 - 2000 7 - 12 KOH Electrodes

Ni - Zn Ambient 60 - 65 60 - 70 150 - 300 12 300 - 1000 5 - 10 KOH

Zn - Cl2

30 - 60 65 - 70 80 - 140 100 - 300 80 200 - 900 10 ZnCl2

ElectrolyteZn - Br

250 - 60 70 - 75 60 - 25 600 - 1500 10 ZnBr

2 CirculationRedox Ambient 65 - 80 55 - 0 1000 - 5000 20 HCl

Na-S Aluminium 300 - 400 70 - 75 90 - 250 150 - 250 0 200 - 1500 - Ceramic High

LiFeS 425 - 500 80 100 - 220 120 - 220 <10 200 - 1000 - Meted Salts Temperature

Source: ITER

a truly zero-emissions way of producing

hydrogen for a fuel cell.

There are several types of cells:

• Phosphoric Acid (are commercially

available, with more than 40% efficiency)

• Proton Exchange Membrane or Solid

Polymer

• Molten Carbonate

• Solid Oxide

• Alkaline

• Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

• Regenerative Fuel Cells

At present the cost per kilowatt of a fuel cell

plant is more than 3400 Euro. Therefore its

large-scale incorporation in island regions

will depend on the evolution of technology

and market in the forthcoming years. It is

anyway a basic reference in the long-term

strategy.

Other Storage Solutions

Small Scale Hydropower storage

A hydro plant turbines falling water from a

reservoir to another at different heights. The

turbine is connected to a generator to

Sch

ema

- Fu

ell C

ells

49

produce electricity. One of the biggest

advantages of a hydro plant is its ability to

store energy.

Water can be stored in a reservoir and

released when needed for electricity

production. During peak demands, water

can be turbined to produce electricity.

During periods with lower consumption and

exceeding energy production, water in the

lower reservoir is pumped to the upper one.

Combined Systems RES

and water pumping

Under appropriate morphological, climatic

and geological conditions, accumulation of

surplus electric production from renewables

as kinetic energy, pumping water to higher

levels to turbine it afterwards, is an

extremely reliable and simple storage.

Flywheels

A wheel winds up through some system of

gears and then delivers rotational energy

until friction dissipates it (they are about

80% efficient).

Production of hydrogen.

Hydrogen has been an important industrial

gas for nearly a century on islands. It is

manufactured by electrolysing water into its

component hydrogen and oxygen gases.

Any kind of electrical generator - hydroelec-

tric, solar, wind, geothermal - provides the

electricity to split the gasses. Nevertheless,

it should be clarified that in a first phase

this system of accumulating energy as

hydrogen is more operative when the

recuperation is made to fuel islands'

transports of the future based on fuel cells.

Water Production

This is evidently not a solution to accumu-

late energy for its posterior use as electric-

ity but, since the desalination systems are

progressively incorporated in the island

grid, especially on southern tourist islands,

desalinated water production can be a way

to exploit, regulate and store the energy

surplus.

Solar power

Taking advantage of islands' sunIslands' heating needs to cover the

Domestic Heat Water (DHW) or space

heating demands greatly vary between 7%

and 20%, in relation to climatic conditions.

Technologies that allow the exploitation of

solar energy, through both active and

passive systems, are highly evolved and

with a high maturity degree. Their large-

scale implementation does not have to face

considerable technological barriers,

excepted when we deal with big installa-

tions, according to the Cyprus example, an

island where 92% of houses are equipped

with solar water-heaters.

New technological challenges of solar

applications on islands are centred in the

Active Solar Cooling and Refrigeration

systems, of great importance in

southern islands and in particular in

tourist islands, which drastically

increase their electric demand up to

35% due their cooling and refrigeration

needs.

Solar ThermalLow temperature solar thermal technolo-

gies, especially those that do not

generate electricity, rely on the scientific

principles behind the Greenhouse Effect

Flyw

hee

ls

to generate heat. Electromagnetic radiation

from the Sun, including visible and infrared

wavelengths, penetrates into the collector

and is absorbed by the surfaces inside the

collector. Once radiation is absorbed by the

surfaces within the collector, the tempera-

ture rises. This increase in temperature can

be used to heat water, dry food and crops,

desalinate water and cook food.

Useful heat ranging from 20oC to 100oC is

collected. This is commonly used for

domestic hot water or for heating outdoor

swimming pools. There are a number of

different general designs and systems

which can be used for solar water heating.

The following types of collector are

currently marketed on islands:

• evacuated tube collectors

• flat plate collectors with selective surface

• flat plate collectors without selective

surface

• unglazed polypropylene collectors (for

outdoor swimming pools)

Evacuated tube collectors use metal plate

collectors running through vacuum tubes.

The vacuum acts as insulation preventing

convective heat loss. Flat plate collectors

use a metal absorber plate, often coated

with low-emission black paint. They are

usually single glazed but can have a

secondary glazed layer (sometimes made

of plastic) allowing higher temperatures to

be achieved.

The area taken up by a solar water collector

will vary according to its design and the hot

water needs of the house concerned.

Typically it could be anywhere between 2

m2 and 7 m2.

50

StorageThree types of storage tanks are commonly

used with Flat Plate Collectors. The most

common tank in new systems is the close-

coupled system, where the storage tanks

are mounted with the collector on the roof.

Tanks are located above the collectors to

take advantage of thermosyphoning. The

density of water changes with respect to

temperature. Generally, water is less dense

at higher temperatures than at lower

temperatures. Thermosyphoning uses this

principle to circulate water through the

collector, as cooler water from the mains

will be drawn through the collector as the

heated water is removed from the storage

tanks. For thermosyphoning to be success-

ful, it is essential that a constant rise in the

pipe work is maintained and that the correct

diameter pipes are used as risers and

headers. Two significant advantages exist

with the close coupled system: this

arrangement is the most cost effective

system for people to install and heated

water is provided at mains pressure.

Gravity feed systems can also be used to

store water from flat plate collectors. In this

arrangement, the tank is installed in the roof

cavity, with only the collector exposed to the

Sun. Positioning of the panels must be so

that natural thermosyphoning can occur.

Whilst these systems are usually the

cheapest to purchase, house-hold plumbing

must be suitable for gravity feeding, that is,

larger pipes in the ceiling and down to the

taps.

Less popular are the forced circulation

systems, in which a mains pressure tank is

located at ground level with the collector on

the roof. In these systems, a pump is

activated when the sun shines and cold

water is pushed through the collector.

Forced Circulation systems are more

expensive to purchase than

either the close coupled or

gravity feed systems, and

electricity is required to

provide power for the

circulating pump.

Swimming PoolHeatingSolar pool heaters are one

of the simplest methods of

solar heating. A large area of unglazed

pipes, usually black to increase adsorption

of solar energy, is positioned on the north

facing side of the roof. Pool water is

pumped through the collector gaining heat

as it travels through the piping. A relatively

large area of piping, typically half the

surface area of the pool, is required due to

the low thermal efficiency of the unglazed

piping. Glazing the pipework, whilst

increasing the thermal efficiency, is not cost

effective as only a small temperature rise is

required.

mechanically pressurize the refrigerant.

Instead, the absorption device uses a heat

source, such as natural gas or a large solar

collector, to evaporate the already-pressu-

rized refrigerant from an absorbent/

refrigerant mixture. This takes place in a

device called the vapor generator. Although

absorption coolers require electricity for

pumping the refrigerant, the amount is

small compared to that consumed by a

compressor in a conventional electric air

conditioner or refrigerator. When used with

solar thermal energy systems, absorption

coolers must be adapted to operate at the

normal working temperatures for solar

collectors: 180° to 250°F (82° to 121°C). It

is also possible to produce ice with a solar

powered absorption device, which can be

used for cooling or refrigeration.

Desiccant cooling systems make the air

seem cooler by removing most of its

moisture. In these systems, the hot, humid

outdoor air passes through a rotating,

water-absorbing wheel. The wheel absorbs

most of the incoming air's moisture. This

"desiccates" (heats and dries) the air. The

heated air then passes through a rotating

heat exchanger wheel, which transfers the

heat to the exhaust side of the system. At

the same time, the dried air passes through

an evaporative cooler, further reducing its

temperature. The heated exhaust air

continues through an additional heat source

(e.g., a solar heat exchanger), raising its

temperature to the point that the exhaust air

evaporates the moisture collected by the

desiccant wheel. The moisture is then

discharged outdoors. The various system

components require electricity to operate,

Active Solar Cooling andRefrigerationIt is possible to use solar thermal energy or

solar electricity to power a cooling appliance

or refrigerator. The types of cooling/

refrigerating devices that can be used with

solar energy are described below.

Absorption cooling is the first and oldest

form of air conditioning and refrigeration. An

absorption air conditioner or refrigerator

does not use an electric compressor to

51

but they use less than a conventional air

conditioner. Most desiccant cooling

systems are intended for large applications,

such as supermarkets and warehouses.

They are also ideal for humid climates.

Heat Engine (Rankine cycle). Heat engine

cooling is similar to that of conventional air

conditioning systems, except that solar

collectors are used to heat the working

fluid. This heated working fluid is then used

to power a Rankine cycle heat engine.

natural properties of salt water to collect

and store heat energy. Two main types of

solar pond exist: salt gradient and mem-

brane ponds.

Salt Gradient Ponds. The most common

example of a solar pond is the salt gradient

pond which consists of three differing

concentrations of a salt solution, usually

sodium or magnesium chloride. Heat is

extracted from this layer by pumping the

salt solution from the bottom layer through

an external heat exchanger. Alternatively, a

heat transfer fluid may be used pumped

through a heat exchanger placed on the

bottom of the pond.

Membrane ponds behave in a similar

fashion to salt gradient ponds, except a thin

transparent membrane is used to separate

each of the layers of the pond. Heat is

removed from the pond using the same

technology as salt gradient ponds.

Biomass for heat productionThe biomass resource can be considered

as organic matter in which the energy of

sunlight is stored in chemical bonds. When

the bonds between adjacent carbon,

hydrogen, and oxygen molecules are

broken by digestion, combustion, or

decomposition these substances release

stored energy. Biomass is made available

on a renewable basis through natural

processes, or it can be made available as a

by-product of human activities. Biomass

energy is generated when organic matter is

converted to energy.

Biomass can be converted to energy by

three conversion processes: Combustion,

Dry Chemical Processes, and Aqueous

Processes.

Biomass applications for heat generation

are centred either in direct combustion,

both of processed elements and their

derived fuels, or indirect, taking advantage

of the heat produced by power stations that

use it as fuel.

Solar PondsWhen large amounts of low temperature

heat is required other forms of solar

heating, such as flat plate collectors, are

too expensive. For example, many industrial

and agricultural applications requiring either

low temperature heat or steam could utilise

solar pond technology. Solar ponds use the

52

53

The problem of freshwater supply affects

small islands more than big ones, as they

have a large part of the water-related

problems. According to the works devel-

oped within the UNESCO’s International

Hydrological Programme, these difficulties

are specially expressed by islands smaller

than 1,000 km2 and narrower than 20 km.

Local hydrological values are also very

different from one island to another. The

most frequent values for the Mediterranean,

for instance, are between 400 and 600 mm.

But the worst is that the largest differences

can appear in successive years or on two

different sides of the island or even at

different altitudes.

To overcome these difficulties the small

islands have developed a very complex

culture of water to take maximum advan-

tage from their scarce resources: tanks,

rainwater reservoirs, impluvia, etc..

Furthermore, we know the need to use

solutions as the water transportation in tank

ships employed from long time to bring

water to small Italian and Greek islands, or

submarine water conducts bringing water

from the continent to the islands of Elba,

Tabarca or to some Dalmatian islands for

example. An extreme example of this last

case can be found in the island of Djerba:

in 1966 began the rapid tourist growth and

the authorities had to mobilize on a large

scale the water resources of the near

continent, and the situation has not

changed until today. There are several

cases showing the extreme water-depend-

ency of islands.

Malta, for example, has an area of 246 km2

and a population density higher than 1,200

people/km2 outside the tourist area. The

island is in reality a great calcareous slab,

fissured and therefore with little capacity to

retain water. Or Lanzarote, an Atlantic

The water-energy binomial

Energy and water, because of their territorial, environmental and eco-nomic implications, have always represented a central element of theinsular dilemma. The interdependence water–energy is increasinglyevident on islands, and sometimes it even brings to a single manage-ment system for both. It is a determining factor of present developmentmodels.

island with an area of 900 km2 where water

supply for its more than 70,000 tourist

places and 90,000 inhabitants comes

almost exclusively from desalination. These

are extreme cases but they clearly show

the current trend of a large part of the

Mediterranean and European islands, and

exemplify possible risks and dependences

of the future.

Nevertheless, the growing water deficit on

islands generates new risks. It is evident

that new demands in island economies

introduce a factor of competition with the

traditional agricultural activities. It is also

serious that vital water supplies are diverted

from fragile ecosystems and high-value

wetlands, and we know well the risks

derived from water extractions in the coast.

To these new needs of the tourist demand,

problems caused by seasonality must be

added. In Majorca water consumption is

estimated in 90,000 cubic metres in winter

and rise to 130.000 in the tourist season.

This effect of tourism is even more obvious

in small islands: Porquerolles (a little

French island), for example, has a domestic

water daily consumption of 150 m3 in winter

that in summer increases to 600 m3.

Within this context, the mentioned insularity

features are in favour of an advisable

alliance between renewable energies and

water production through desalination. An

alliance that is still more necessary in the

increasing tourist specialisation framework

of many islands.

There are many economic and technological

reasons supporting this idea. Typical data

per cubic meter of fresh water are 8-15 kWh

for commercial distillation (heat consuming

processes) and 4-7 kWh for commercial

The Porto Santo solar distillation plant constructed

by GTZ, Germany, and LREC, Portugal

Hybrid systems based on wind power offer multiple

possibilities and great versatility. Modularity is one

of their most attractive characters. In the image,

some of the projects developed by ITER.

54

membrane systems (electricity consuming

processes). These numbers show the large

amount of supplementary energy needed by

certain islands in order to secure themselves

a sufficient water supply.

But we also know that wind energy is a

high competitive form of producing energy,

even in islands with a low average wind

speed. The usage of wind turbines to power

medium sized desalination plants is perfect,

and several pilot plants are being devel-

oped, as well as hybrid systems using PV

panels and wind generators to produce

fresh water.

We should also take into account that water

storage, compared to electricity or heat,

has the added advantage of being quite a

simple matter. Desalinated water storage is

a simple issue for most islands, and it is an

excellent solution to technologically

harmonize the use of renewable energy

sources on a large scale and guarantee

freshwater supply under small islands’

variable consumption conditions. We

already know that renewable energy

sources suffer from irregular energy supply.

But with an increasing demand for water,

the penetration of renewable energies can

be supported.

Water production plants may play a major

role as variable loads for any system,

helping to absorb production peaks. As

water can be stored without difficulties for

longer periods, water demand peaks do not

affect water production rates.

This shows us that this alliance is efficient

for all schemes featured on islands.

• Centralised production and distribution

• Decentralised production

• or Combined centralised and decentral-

ised production

Under these circumstances, the combina-

tion of RE and desalination is viable end

effective for small and medium-size islands.

This is therefore a right solution for the

management of electricity and

water demand.

On a small scale several

important mixed projects have

already been carried out, and

demonstrate both technical and

economical viability of these

solutions. As things stand,

desalination strategy through

renewable energies is an option

of sustainable development not

only for islands. It is the only

reasonable solution for the next future.

RES DesalinationDesalinisation with renewable energies

offers an interesting possible solution in

those places with wind and/or solar energy

resources or any other renewable energy

source and problems with fresh water

supply in coastal areas (seawater). These

kinds of systems are the best way to

provide water to areas isolated from the

grid or to small islands (weak grid).

Renewable energy sources are by their

nature characterised by intermittent and

variable intensity. Desalination processes

are designed for continuous steady state

operation. This appears to be the main

problem concerning the interfacing between

the two technologies. Two approaches have

been identified to resolve this problem.

These are modulating the process to cope

with variable energy input, or by including

an energy storage buffer to even out the

energy supply.

RES or Solar desalination processes can

also be devised in two main types: The

“direct method”, which involves the creation

of a single unit incorporating both solar

energy and energy collection in one device.

They have a simple structure and do not

require a sophisticated technical, construc-

tion and operational procedure. The second

type, the “indirect method” involves two

separate systems: the collection of solar

energy, by a conventional solar converting

system, coupled to a conventional

desalination method. Both systems require

a higher degree of technical skill.

Schematic Presentation of an Intergraded Electricity and Water Production System for Remote Islands

Source: TEI Piraeus

PV desalination plant on Lampedusa

Interior of the RO container for the pilot plant on Siros.

55

Prototype solar thermal desalination

The direct solar energy method uses a

variety of simple stills; indirect methods use

thermal or electrical energy and can be

classified as follow:

• distillation methods using solar collectors

• electrodialysis: using high concentration

solar collectors, photovoltaics and/or

wind energy for power generation

• reverse osmosis: using photovoltaic or

wind energy for power generation

Solar distillation is a very old procedure

known from the oldest times as a concept,

but though the first practical, large scale,

application was about 125 years ago, no

important or sophisticated improvements

have been achieved since because this

type of plants offer little design freedom and

future improvements are limited. Neverthe-

less they are almost the perfect solution for

poor and very small communities having

lack of water and more important, lacking

financing means.

Indirect desalination methods have a very

recent historical background. Started over

the last three decades when desalination

methods were mature and solar energy

plants, due to the oil crisis, were in

intensive experimental stage. In any case,

applications for small island communities

up to 1000 people, already have a large

experimentation and can be satisfied with

small units say 10 to 100 m3/day which

may be more reliable and in many cases

more cost- effective than water transport

from long distance.

56

57

The transport sector, because of its close

links with development and Man's capacity

to communicate, demands to devote a large

effort to maintaining its technologies up to

date, in order to provide transport that is

not incompatible either with mobility or with

the environment.

Awareness of the need to respect the

environment in recent years, has led to

significant developments in legislation

(EURO2, EURO3, EURO4, etc.) and to a

parallel development in transport vehicle

technology. In the space of a decade, the

most significant pollutant emissions, such

as Nitrogen Oxide NOx, Carbon Monoxide

CO, unburned Hydrocarbons HC, particles,

etc. have been reduced by over 80%.

In spite of these measures and improve-

ments that affect transport as a whole, the

environmental problem continues to exist

and is becoming more serious on islands, or

it represents an objective in terms of mobility

and the environment in natural or tourist

areas wishing to offer high levels of environ-

mental quality. In fact, the future quality of

many town centres, or even tourist resorts,

will depend on their future capacity to solve

the transport problems that directly affect

their quality and competitiveness.

Low or zero-emission transport (CNG,

Hybrid, Electric, etc.) can provide clear

environmental benefits in built up or island

territories, as they help to diminish the

effects that pollution has on both people

and our historic heritage.

But, despite the promising results obtained,

these vehicles continue to represent a very

small proportion of total transport. Although

there are solutions and they have proved

their feasibility, we do not think that mass

application of this kind of vehicles will be

either simple or quick, and their success

will not only depend on the manufacturer of

Renewable Energies for CleanSustainable Transport on Islands

Most European islands are experiencing ever growing traffic conditionsleading to increasing problems of congestion and emission levels with aconsequent loss of quality of life. This is particularly true for tourist des-tinations most of which suffer from seasonal peaks in their traffic levels.Energy importance of island inland transport has been rapidly increas-ing during the last years, as it took over the 50-65% of primary energy,on average.One of the most effective ways of tackling this problem is to start anintegrated approach by introducing more environmentally friendly ve-hicles and at the same time encouraging a modal shift from private topublic transport. Renewable energy for public transport can contributeon both fronts providing a sustainable, clean and attractive alternative.The renewable options considered fall into the two broad categories ofbio-fuels and electric vehicles powered by renewable energy sources.In an intermediate category we find hybrid and high energy efficiencyvehicles which create a transitional area towards the 100% RES.

the technology, but also on the contribution

of all the other agents involved: Institutions,

Local Administrations, users, etc., who

have a fundamental role to play in the

success of implementing environmentally

friendly vehicles.

Technological innovation strategy in the

island transport sector are mainly centred in

two lines: development and inclusion of

alternative fuels, given the availability

conditions, and large-scale introduction of

vehicles based on clean technologies, in

particular those whose energy vectors are

obtained from

Renewable Energy

Sources. To be

environmentally

coherent and for their

commitment to

sustainable develop-

ment, new vehicle

clean technologies are

preferably developed

in the area of collective

transports (buses and

trains).

Alternative fuelsBiofuels

Biofuels can be divided primarily into

biodiesels (70 to 80% coming from organic

oils and sunflower, etc.) and alcohols

coming from beetroot, wheat, sorghum, etc.

Numerous production options are available,

preference being given to high-yield crops

with low intermediate input and no effect on

biodiversity. Biodiesel could be used without

any major technical problems to replace

normal diesel. As for alcohols, these can be

mixed with conventional petrol up to a level

58

of around 15% without any technical

modifications having to be made to the

vehicle fleet. In terms of environmental

impact, biofuels are very attractive, emitting

between 40 and 80% less in the way of

greenhouse gases than other fossil fuels.

Ethanol is a petrol alternative which is

being used in various forms such as E85 (a

blend of 85% ethanol and 15% petrol), E10

and E5.

Methanol is an alcohol fuel. Today most of

the world's methanol is produced through a

process using natural gas as a feedstock.

However, the ability to produce methanol

from non-petroleum feedstocks such as

coal or biomass is of interest to reducing

petroleum imports. The alternative methanol

fuel currently being used is M-85. In the

future, neat methanol, or M-100, may also

be used. Methanol is also made into an

ether, MTBE, which is blended with

gasoline to enhance octane and to create

oxygenated gasoline.

Biogas

Is produced from organic waste (waste

water methanisation) as a by-product of

sewage treatment and has similar proper-

ties to compressed natural gas (CNG) as a

vehicle fuel. The use of biogas is particu-

larly attractive from the point of view of

greenhouse gas abatement as no net CO2

is produced and would have potential

applications in many tourist locations.

In cases when biogas is freely available or

for small-scale applications, this fuel can be

used in hybrid transport systems as a

substitute of CNG.

Natural Gas Vehicles

These vehicles are externally different from

conventional vehicles, because they are

equipped with a series of gas tanks, but

internally they offer a very similar level of

service to a diesel bus. CNG offers a clean

fuel for use in urban areas. Buses are

powered by an internal combustion engine

which is broadly similar in operation to a

conventional engine. The buses emit,

however, far less of the emissions of

particulates which are damaging to public

health. Whilst the vehicles have a lower

range than a conventional vehicle, and

perform less effectively when accelerating,

this technology is eminently suitable as a

means to reduce urban air pollution.

In general, these vehicles have proved

popular with users and they are clean and

quiet. Emissions of noxious gases are

generally reduced, but the impact on

greenhouse gas emissions and energy

consumption are variable, suggesting that

great care should be taken with the

selection of such vehicles. Greater

establishment of CNG technology in the

mainstream should ensure that perform-

ance improves with time.

Clean Diesel

Clean Diesel vehicles use a number of

techniques to optimise the performance of

conventional engines. The use of ultra-low

sulphur diesel offers immediate benefits,

whilst the addition of catalytic particulate

traps increases them further. This solution

offers considerable short-term environmen-

tal benefits; including the option to retrofit

existing vehicles.

Battery electric vehiclesElectric vehicles offer a low-noise, emission-

free operation, which is ideal for congested

urban areas, historic centres and very

sensitive natural areas. The vehicle can only

operate a restricted range, but this may not

be a difficulty for many urban tasks. The

vehicles are particularly suited to journeys

which involve considerable congestion that

would lead to significant pollution if operated

by a conventional vehicle. The overall

benefits of the vehicles must, however, be

offset against the costs and impacts of

generating and supplying electricity.

Electric and electric hybrid vehicles are

offering the best possibility for the use of

new energy sources, because electricity can

result from a transformation with high

efficiency of these sources and is always

used with the highest possible efficiency in

systems with electric drives or components.

The electric parts: battery, motor and

controller were also used for general

purpose and the mechanical transmission

with gear, shaft or chain were used also in

common machinery applications. Today's

technology includes modern motor design

influenced by power electronics and

Biodiesel fuelled cruiser on the Shannon

One example is the photovoltaic (PV) recharging station for electric vehicles in Palermo where 95 electric

vehicles were purchased under ZEUS Project. The PV modules form the roof of a cantilever structure which

shades the electric vehicles while they are charging and keeps them cool. The plant produces enough

electricity each year to drive the vehicles about 90,000 km.

59

automotive views, energy sources perform-

ing better and better to match acceptable

vehicle performances and performance

control and data acquisition. Some basic

considerations about electric and hybrid

vehicles today and in a mid and long-term

perspective, are presented together with

the infrastructure developments.

Nevertheless, as a matter of fact, generali-

sation of the use of electric vehicles at a

domestic scale must face some barriers

put by users. The wholesale introduction of

electric vehicles and their acceptance by

members of the public will lead to a

situation which is unique with no historical

precedent: a high-power connection (3 kW

for normal charging, up to 25 kW or more

for fast charging), made daily, in outdoor

conditions, members of the general public

which are not electrically trained. One may

think that the public has learned to live with

electricity which has been our major source

of energy for over 100 years now, and such

power levels are quite common in house-

hold installations, but the conditions of use

here are quite different:

• connections of high powered electrical

devices (washing machines, water

heaters, cookers, ovens) are made only

once when the machine is installed, often

by a qualified electrician; electrical

vehicles however are daily on the move;

• the use of electrical equipment in

outdoor, all-weather conditions is

normally not performed in an ordinary

household environment;

• potential electric vehicle drivers, which

are members of the general public,

including specific groups such as elderly

people, disabled people and mothers with

small children, usually have not received

a specific training about dealing with high

power electrical equipment; the idea

alone of "high electric power" may

actually frighten them off from electric

vehicles.

Hybrid VehiclesA hybrid-electric vehicle is an electric

vehicle that also has an internal combustion

engine and an electric generator on board

to charge the batteries. Thus, hybrid-

electric vehicles do not share an electric

vehicle's main drawback of limited range

and the need for a fixed infrastructure. A

hybrid-electric vehicle can have the best of

both worlds; it can function as a pure

electric vehicle (for relatively short dis-

tances) while retaining the capability of a

conventional vehicle to make long trips. The

electric option allows zero-emission

operation in sensitive areas.

The implementing range of an electric

vehicle can be extended by an additional

energy source, i.e. an internal combustion

motor/generator group or fuel cell. In

colloquial language the vehicle is named

hybrid vehicle, more precisely hybrid

electric vehicle (HEM and according to the

international standards thermal electric

hybrid vehicle TEHV). Two main structures

are defined in hybrid electric vehicles:

series hybrid and parallel hybrid.

The series hybrid is a combination of

energy sources. The traction is obtained by

only one central electric motor or by

wheelhub motors.

The parallel hybrid is a combination of

traction systems. Several electric motors or

internal combustion engines, being part of

two or more driveshafts, perform the

traction. Each driveshaft has to be associ-

ated with an energy source. The parallel

hybrid drives realise a purely mechanical

power addition; an internal combustion

engine and an electric motor can be

coupled directly or via a gearbox.

TramsTrams are an ideal mode of transport for

urban areas where the infrastructure exists

Los autobuses eléctrios han demostrado ya su

eficacia en ámbitos especiales como los centros

de las ciudades históricas

Ele

ctr

ic B

us

Hyb

rid

veh

icle

s

60

Fu

el cell

or can be provided. Some among the main

European demonstration projects developed

an energy-efficient and therefore reasonably

priced (low-cost) tram. The concept is based

on the use of lightweight composite material

form the aircraft industry.

Fuel cell development is being driven by

public concern about environmental

degradation and energy security. The

technology is uniquely able to address these

issues as it converts fuel directly, without

combustion, by combining hydrogen and

oxygen electrochemically to produce water,

electricity and heat with zero or negligible

pollutant emissions at high efficiency and

with low CO2 emissions.

The theoretical efficiencies of

electrochemical combustion of hydrogen

may exceed 90%, depending on the cell's

operating conditions. Practical efficiencies

have been demonstrated to be high as well,

vehicle manufacturers have either launched

prototype vehicles or intend to do so.

Demonstrations of the technology in bus

fleets are currently being launched.

The main advantages of fuel cell buses are

no exhaust gas emissions, lower noise

levels and expected higher energy

efficiencies during operation in comparison

to CNG and even diesel buses. Additionally

the long-term perspective to produce

hydrogen on a regenerative basis ad-

dresses the undeniable need for the

reduction of fossil fuel usage.

The island strategy "Towards 100% RES"

has an important allied in these new

technologies, in particular in electric

vehicles (battery electric vehicles, trams or

trains) or in those based on fuel cells

technology, as we don't have to forget that

storing electricity produced from RES in

electric vehicles or its conversion in

hydrogen is an added value, being a

system that regulates, through its storing,

the variable production of RES.

The CyberTran system is an exemple of

projects in this line. It is based on the use of

large numbers of small vehicles as opposed

to the conventional concept of small numbers

of large vehicles. The system operates on

elevated guideways under complete

computer control (no drivers). CyberTran is

designed to operate at speeds up to 150

mph, depending on application. The vehicles'

steel wheels ride on ultra-light rail. Rolling

friction is lower than road vehicle tires.

Fuel Cells

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy

conversion device. Fuel cells produce

electricity from the electrochemical reaction of

hydrogen and oxygen. It is two to three times

more efficient than an internal combustion

engine in converting fuel to power.

• A fuel cell produces electricity, water, and

heat using fuel and oxygen in the air.

• Water is the only emission when

hydrogen is the fuel.

As hydrogen flows into the fuel cell on the

anode side, a platinum catalyst facilitates

the separation of the hydrogen gas into

electrons and protons (hydrogen ions). The

hydrogen ions pass through the membrane

(the center of the fuel cell) and, again with

the help of a platinum catalyst, combine

with oxygen and electrons on the cathode

side, producing water. The electrons, which

cannot pass through the membrane, flow

from the anode to the cathode through an

external circuit containing a motor or other

electric load, which consumes the power

generated by the cell.

typically ranging from 45?65%. If run on

pure hydrogen fuel cells only release water,

electricity and heat. If a reformate gas used

it is expected that less CO2 will be emitted

per KWh and other emissions will be

greatly reduced, compared to most

conventional engines.

There are several different types of fuel

cells, but the Proton Exchange Membrane

(PEM) fuel cell is now being developed by

many companies, for transport, portable

and stationary power.

Fuel cells are a fundamentally new

technology, and will require extensive

demonstration, covering a wide variety of

very different operating and climatic

conditions on European islands. All major

Transport ManagementMeasuresImplementation strategies of new clean

transport and RES-based technologies

would not be really effective if at the same

time the adequate management measures

are not established. These measures can

be grouped as follows:

Ultra Light trainFuell cells vehicles

61

• Area-Wide Traffic Restrictions

• Bus Priority

• Cycle Facilities

• Information & Telematics

• Integration & Image

• Comprehensive mobility management

schemes

• Marketing

• Pricing and taxation

• Land-Use and Mobility Planning

• Land-Use Planning Applications

• Policy Measures such as pedestrianisation

Area-Wide Traffic Restrictions

Generalisation of these restrictions in urban

areas, historic centres and tourist cities, is

being imposed as a logical consequence of

the urgent need to improve environmental

quality conditions.

Bus Priority Measures

Bus priority measures allow buses to make

the best use of the available road space,

and thereby to avoid congestion.

Cycle Facilities

Some cycle facilities fully segregate cycles

from general traffic, whilst others allocate

cycle space within the carriageway. The

increase in interest in cycling in all cities and

tourist areas offers great potential to reduce

the volume and impact of vehicle traffic.

Moreover, urban cycling can often allow

faster

access

around

congested

city centres

than

vehicular

traffic, whilst

cycling and walking also provide a benefit in

terms of personal health.

Information & Telematics

New technologies of the information society

will allow a better integration, information

and management of all means of transport.

Favouring intermodality, that is the ad-

equate integration between the different

modes of transport is a big challenge

whose present-day barriers can be

overcome through massive use of telematic

solutions.

New technologies bring every day more

useful solutions to start advanced traffic

control systems, real-time Information

projects or integrated ticketing projects.

The European ExperienceDuring the last seven years the European

Commission's Directorate-General for

Energy (now DG TREN) has supported a

number of Targeted Transport Projects

(TTPs). These are large-scale demonstra-

tion projects implemented in over 70

places. The TTPs have provided a flagship

for the development of sustainable policies

in transport, by implementing measures

focusing on:

• rational use of energy

• reduced emissions of CO2 and local

pollutants

• improved quality of urban life

• use of alternative fuels

• a modal shift towards public transport,

cycling and walking

• an economic framework for clean and

efficient commercial transport

• reducing the need to travel

Based on the experience of the TTPs and

other innovative projects, a number of

lessons can be drawn that are relevant to

all cities.

The THERMIE Programme, promoted by

the European Commission, supported 10

Targeted Transport Projects (TTPs) from

1994 to 2000:

• Antares and its follow-up Centaur project

• Entrance and the following Entire project

• Jupiter and Jupiter-2

• EVD-Post

• NGV-Europe

• Sagittaire

• Zeus

Examples of EU funding directed at

projects aimed at promoting public

transport are PIRATE and GUIDE. PIRATE

(Promoting Interchange Rationale, Accessi-

bility and Transfer Efficiency) and GUIDE

(Group for Urban interchanges, develop-

ment and Evaluation), both projects that are

designed to make different types of public

transport more integrated and accessible to

the public. In order to encourage local

authorities to adopt cleaner fuels the

Committee of the Regions has established

the Alternative Traffic in Towns (ALTER)

project led by local authorities it encourages

the use of clean and low emission vehicles

throughout Europe.

Electric free cars. An excellent solution to improve

the interface between energy and transport.

References

Taking advantage of energy-efficient transport tech-

nologies - experience from European research and

demonstration programmes. David Blackledge,

Corporate Director, Transport & Travel Research

ltd. United Kingdom.

Electric and Electric Hybrid Vehicle Technology: A

2000/2010 perspective. Prof. Dr. G. Maggetto. Vrije

Universiteit. Brussels, Belgium.

The Management of Urban Fleets: Key to Success.

Miguel Fraile. Iveco-Pegaso, Spain

Renewable energy for clean sustainable transport,

Pat Bell, Jim O'Malley. Entrac - Energy Transport

Actions. Ireland.

62

63

Tourist industry emerged with an unusual

strength on most islands. European islands

see that the tourist activity has gradually

become an important part of their GIP and

an expectation of future development.

To get an idea of the island tourism

importance in developed destinations, if we

compare usual tourist island densities

within the European Union we find densities

reaching 50 rooms per square kilometre,

higher in many cases than density in many

populated areas of the mainland. But in

terms of tourist flow, the results are even

more striking: Greek islands receive more

international tourism than Brazil, the

Balearic Islands host as many tourist as

Portugal and the Canary Islands duplicates

the 6 million of international tourists that

receives South Africa, the great emerging

destination.

Destination Area AccommodationCapacity

Corfu 592 km2 70.000

Minorca 720 km2 82.000

Elba 223 km2 21.000

Rhodes 1.398 km2 80.000

Tenerife 2.036 km2 170.000

These numbers belonging to high-density

destinations clearly outline a tendency and

warn us about the need to sensibly face

one of the most important challenges for

islands in the forthcoming years. Tourism

therefore, in its energy dimension, is

playing a role of increasing importance.

This new situation is not only determined by

the direct rise of tourism activity within the

energy demand, but also by additional

factors like seasonality, which involves an

oversizing of energy capacities, an effect of

the new induced consumption patterns and

the scattered distribution of new tourist

settlements.

Sustainable Tourism andRenewable Energy Sources

Furthermore, if we take into account the

increasing relationship between energy

features and island water policies, we can

reach the conclusion that tourist activity

should be conceived and designed taking

into account the particular island energy

features, establishing new alliances

between tourist agents and energy and

market operators.

The necessary co-operation between the

tourism sector and sustainable develop-

ment, as a way and condition for industry

survival, has been emphasised in several

international meetings and agreements, and

clearly expressed by the World Charter of

Sustainable Tourism, adopted on the island

of Lanzarote in 1995 (see annex).

100% RES for tourismLarge-scale inclusion of renewable energy

sources in the tourist sector, and in the

hotel sector in particular, clearly is an

already demonstrated, competitive and

efficient option. It is not hazardous to say

that the greatest industry of our planet is

one of the strategic sectors candidates for

a large-scale implementation of RES-based

energy solutions.

Every day more renewable solutions are

found. With regard to solar applications, the

possibilities are more and more evident.

Nowadays we own a wide experience,

accumulated for almost two decades, on hot

water production, and on applications such

as swimming pool heating. New projects

64

aiming to solar cooling are now appearing,

meeting an essential demand of warm

destinations, and, more recently we are

seeing how the generalisation of photovoltaic

applications allow power production directly

in the same building, with the possibility to

reach the total supply and even transfer the

surplus to the electric grid. Furthermore,

tourist establishments or resorts can be

designed and built to take

advantage to the maximum of the

environment energy, saving in power

production through the use of bioclimatic

architecture criteria.

Nevertheless we must admit that penetra-

tion of RET solutions within the European

islands' tourist sector is surprisingly low.

Works developed, for instance, in the

Mediterranean area (CRES, ICAEN;

SOFTECH, ADEME), show a very low

present contribution of renewable energies

in the hotel sector (Figure 1), although the

diagram of its energy needs makes this

option easier (Figure 2) and the estimated

potential is certainly high (Figure 3).

It is necessary to analyse in detail the

reason why the most innovating industry of

the planet hasn't been able to generalise

the methods of exploitation of Renewable

Energy Technologies. It is not only an

economical question, although often this is

the reason given, as it was emphasised in

the ICAEN works, since the energy costs

fluctuate between 3%

and 10% of the costs of

an hotel and, at the same

time, they are the highest

budget head after staff

and food costs. Also in

studies carried out by

Insula for European

tourist islands it was

made clear that the first

necessary investments

for energetically sustain-

able hotels, being they

new or on the occasion

of renovation works,

range between 5 and 8%

of the total inversion,

while the surplus cost of

embellishment materials

used in the hall and common areas is

sometimes higher than it.

These data indicate that beside purely

financial features, we are facing a problem

of generalised ignorance about RET

possibilities, together with an absence of

co-operation on this subject of the main

actors: architects, engineers, consultants,

promoters and hotel managers. All this in

spite of the fact that, according to several

works on tourist expectations on islands,

tourists start to ask for more environmen-

tally-friendly behaviours in island destina-

tions.

The actual lack of alliances in favour of

RES in such an important market favoured

the consolidation of the Tech-Island Tourism

Forum, in the framework of the Island 2010

initiative started from the Maspalomas

Conference (Sustainable Hotels for

Sustainable Destinations). Its aim is to

break the information barriers and promote

sustainable tourist initiatives within the

100% RES strategy.

Role of environmental labels,standards and certifications inthe promotion of the sustainabletechnologies.In the last years we could see an unusual

flourishing of initiatives in favour of

sustainability within the tourist industry.

Therefore today we can rely on an exten-

sive range of tools that underpin this

initiative: international cooperation agree-

ments, legislative actions, planning and

Figure 1:

Energy forms used on average in the Mediterranean hotel sector

Figure 2:

Energy consumption per use in the Mediterranean Hotel Sector

Figure 3:

Estimated potential energy savings from the implementation of efficient energy technologies and R.E.S.

65

development of local Agendas 21, codes of

conduct, eco-labels, best-practice guide-

lines and environmental management

systems. The accommodation sector

stands out within this context, as it

generates a great portion of resource

consumption and is one of tourist's basic

expectations.

However, within the complex transfer of

theory into practice, enough attention is not

usually paid to the new role of technology in

the XXI century. In the first stage it is

logical to emphasise greatly all the aspects

related with management. But when it is

time to pass to the implementation of

sustainable development policies in tourist

destinations, it is worth remembering that

scientific and technological innovations of

the last twenty years bring us a sound

basis for change that we need to consider

thoroughly.

Within this context, environmental labels

and standards (EMAS, ISO 14000,

Biosphere Hotels..) played an important role

in the systematic implementation of best

practices in the hotel sector. Most of the

achievements reached by hotels that

adopted any environmental label or

management system regard the efficient

use of energy and water and implementa-

tion of renewable energies.

It is therefore necessary to take a step

forward with the help of tourist eco-labels

with the aim to incorporate renewable

energies in the certification systems'

requirements and destination's market

strategy.

A good example of the first case is given by

the integration of the island 2010 initiative's

criteria in the standard revision of the

Responsible Tourism System (Biosphere

Hotels), in cooperation with the IRT (an

organisation associated to the UNESCO),

which gave, as a result, a new system of

requirements applicable to certified hotels

that include the maximum use of RES

together with the traditional criteria of

Rational Use of Energy.

Another example, corresponding to the

second case, could be the development of

a sensitisation and marketing campaign

that already started for islands that have

been declared biosphere reserves by the

UNESCO (Lanzarote, Minorca, Galapagos,

EL Hierro) and whose objective is the

inclusion of RES within the destinations'

image.

Building in favour of climate, arational option for hotelsA great portion of the energy consumption

of tourist islands is due to the tourist activity

itself, and in particular to hotels. Hotels, like

any other building, aim to protect people

from external weather inclemency. Never-

theless, tourist buildings have in many

cases suffered a process that transformed

them in completely closed spaces, with

scarce exchanges with the surrounding

environment. As a result, instead of taking

advantage of the weather and the external

resources, it has been decided to create an

artificial environment, using energy-

consuming elements.

Replication of non-updated urban and

building criteria in island hotels and resorts

Global style hotels

Based on heavy interventions on local en-

vironments (e.g. amusement parks)

High levels of energy consumption due to

unsustainable use of limited local energy

resources

Large urban interventions and land exploi-

tation. High level of water consumption.

Unsafe disposal of solid and liquid

wastes. Contamination of coastal areas

Exploitation and depletion of natural en-

vironments

Sacrificed, in name of the universal "tour-

ist entertainment model"

Seriously affected by the massive pres-

ence of imported goods and labour

Attractiveness

Energy

consumption

Natural resources

(water, soil)

Waste

Local biodiversity

Local culture

Local economy

Source: Paola Deda

Sustainable hotels

Based on local environmental features

and local cultures

Strongly reduced by use of solar and wind

power and passive solar architecture

Low impact constructions, sustainable

use of scarce water resources

Recycling, sustainable treatment of or-

ganic waste trough composting

Preservation of local biodiversity as im-

portant and attractive features

Maintained as part of tourist attractiveness

and means for cultural exchange

Boosted by the full involvement of local

industry, art and crafts, and labour

Manual of recommendations for the hotel industry,

which includes RES-related criteria, developed by

Insula.

66

represents an added risk to energy waste.

We are taking over a high risk by using

unapt buildings, by promoting a uniform,

and therefore not competitive in the long

term, tourist product. We must take into

account that energetically sustainable

architectures, beside the evident environ-

mental cultural and energy advantages, a

basic added value with regard to qualifica-

tion of destinations, as the quality of

accommodation is in the first place of

tourists' expectatives.

Bioclimatic architecture takes into account

the dweller's comfort and requires greater

imaginative amounts, which improve the

cultural quality of the building. But it also

aims to take the maximum advantage of

favourable climatic conditions and reduce

energy consumption of the building. To

achieve this objective, we must take into

account the following energy rules:

• Use of on-site energy

• Use of natural energy flows

• Making thermal use of building

Tourism, New transports andsustainable mobilityIslands, characterised by high tourist

densities and rapid growth, are starting to

suffer the phenomenon of degradation of

their tourist product due to the impacts

caused by traffic. In the long run it will be

extremely contradictory to choose a holiday

destination with equal or higher traffic-

related environmental problems than those

existing in the tourists' areas of origin.

Lack of tourist planning in transport and the

import of inappropriate infrastructure

models contributed to unbearable traffic

increases, which are reflected by figures

such as road density, higher than 0.5 km/

km2 in many cases, and the number of

private vehicles, which is often twice the

European average, 51.5 vehicles per km2.

In fact, inappropriate inland transport

policies are seriously endangering the

fragile and rich tourist resources available

on islands.

One of the most effective ways of tackling

this problem is to take an integrated

approach of introducing more environmen-

tally friendly vehicles and simultaneously

encouraging a modal shift from private to

public transport. Renewable energy for

public transport can contribute on both

fronts providing a sustainable, clean and

attractive alternative.

Nowadays it is technologically feasible to

change towards sustainable mobility in

tourist destinations. Ultra-low or zero

emission transport (CNG, Hybrid, Electric,

etc.) can clearly benefit the environment in

urban and tourist areas, as

they contribute to lessen

the effects produced by

pollution to the environ-

mental quality of tourist

destinations, particularly in

sensitive areas and historic

centres. Solutions such as

hybrid and electric vehicles

show us also operability

and benefits of these non-

polluting transports, and

their low-noise emissions

guarantee an evident improvement of

environmental quality of tourist destinations

and resorts.

Nowadays, new transport technologies

allow taking care of environmental aspects

in tourist destinations without decreasing

mobility, being supported by complemen-

tary measures such as the creation of

pedestrian areas, the limitation of use of

private vehicles, promotion of public

transports, telematic assistance and

intermodality. But we should also consider

that alternative transport strategy is strictly

connected to the development of Renew-

able Energy Sources. Some of the most

advanced, under the way projects for

tourist islands show scenarios where

transport is transformed in a regulator and

accumulating system for surplus electric

energy obtained from RES.

For island tourist destinations this is an

excellent possibility to qualify their offer,

taking advantage of the experiences

accumulated by several projects. As a

matter of fact, it is really inconceivable that

none of the main European demonstration

projects of alternative transports has

focussed on strictly tourist areas (except

for a few historic centres) or more specifi-

cally on island areas. There is an essential

need for large-scale demonstration projects

in this field, since within island tourist

destinations three distinctive factors are

combined: the need for an environmental

qualification of the destination, the presence

of nimble market actors and economies and

a strong demonstration effect on the

population. We don't have to forget that

Inclusion of photovoltaic roofs in hotels, an option for this sector

that can be brought into general use on islands.

A curious, autonomous tourist information centre developed by the ITC of the Canary Islands (Julieta

Shallenberg)

67

islands receive every year more than 40

million European visitors.

Telematics for RESapplications in the hotel sectorOn islands, the hotel sector is usually

separated from the centres of information.

That is why telematics are often a very

advantageous tool, to achieve updating

about new issues of relative restricted

distribution as sustainable applications

often are.

We all would like to obtain more informa-

tion, but many of us have several motives

to postpone it continually. Lack of time,

other priorities directly related with the daily

issues, and also fear of facing the public

are important factors that help to postpone

the beginning of a training that we esteem

convenient.

Maybe the first question asked by an hotel

with regard to energy, is whether it can

save energy or not. In case of affirmative

answer, which immediate measure can be

taken without requiring any investment?

Afterwards it will analyse which equipments

can be changed or acquired to increase its

energy saving, which would be their cost

and time of redemption. If it is interested in

sustainability, it would like to know if it can

use renewable energy sources. Then, if it is

intentioned to change its infrastructures,

will ask for people who can make it.

Finally, having realised that there is a lot of

work to do and that it is worth doing it, in

order to work better and to be better

situated in this emerging market, it will

decide that training cannot wait anymore,

and would need to know the offer and

obtain a service adapted to its needs and

expectatives.

ReferencesDefinition of a Strategy for Energy Efficiency and

Use of RES in the Mediterranean Hotel Sector.

Center for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES) in

collaboration with ADEME (France), ICAEN (Spain),

SOFTECH (Italy) and CINAR (Greece) has carried

out a study in the framework of THERMIE B Pro-

gramme entitled: "Definition of a Strategy for En-

ergy Efficiency and use of Renewable Energy

Sources in the Mediterranean Hotel Sector"

Tourism and Sustainable Development: The island

experience. Ed. By INSULA. Cipriano Marin-Luis

Gortázar. 1999.

68

Islands 100% RES projects

71

The scenario chosen derives from the

actual situation of the island of Tenerife, in

the Canary Islands. Tenerife and the whole

archipelago of the Canary Islands have

been very conscious on environmental

concerns and the reduction of pollutants

and dependence on imported fuels, mainly

by the use of renewable energies. Never-

theless, only 1.4% of the energy consumed

in the archipelago during 1997 was

produced with clean energy sources; the

rest was generated mainly in steam, diesel

and gas plants. The annual consumption of

the Canary Islands reaches 6,000 GWh.

These figures clarify the pressure that is

being made on the environment. It is

essential that a higher effort be made to

reduce this impact, increasing the penetra-

tion rates of RE technologies.

For an appropriate integration scheme,

strategies should be developed for a

regional high-level water and energy

production with RE and desalination

systems, taking into account local charac-

teristics. They must specifically reflect the

needs and behavior of consumer daily and

seasonal patterns, taking into account the

economic development and human needs

that have an impact on energy consump-

tion. Moreover, the challenge of supplying a

vast area with renewable energy in an

autonomous mode is a technical, human

and decision-making challenge.

The large scale installation of renewable

energy generation plants, together with the

appropriate policies and regulations on

energy savings and rational use of energy,

is important for a sustainable development,

as pollutants are not produced like when

using conventional fuels. The tendency of

the RE market and operators is the

increase on the RE installed power,

allowing higher densities of installed power.

This will enable a more efficient use of

areas with the required natural resources.

The most important technical challenge is

the assessment on regulation, integration

and storage solutions, which are surely

bottlenecks for the large-scale implementa-

tion of renewables. Several approaches

should be considered, including for example

the use of fuel cells, hydrogen solutions,

batteries, hydro power storage, thermal

storage, etc. For a complete approach of a

100% RES island, solutions for transports

should also be studied, like the progressive

substitution of traditional vehicles to the use

of fuel cells, electrical or hybrid vehicles

with batteries or natural gas.

The overall approach, as already men-

tioned, includes the application of RUE

regulations to reduce consumption. The

diagram with the process to evolve from

conventional to renewables is the following:

Tenerife 100A model of RenewableEnergy Sources integration

To establish a general guideline for the integration of RES on any Eu-ropean island is a complex task. Resources vary in a large amount, aswell as needs and island characteristics. Obviously, the approach forpowering with RES an island with 10,000 inhabitants is completely dif-ferent than one with half a million.Therefore, to cover the widest possible range of applications, it hasbeen decided to study the case of a large island, where more difficul-ties come together. Afterwards, the method can be easily simplifiedlocally, as an extreme example is given a solution, even though localparameters affect the results in a large extent. Nevertheless, the meth-odology will be similar, and as many technical challenges are addressedwhen approaching autonomous applications in a large scale, this ex-ample could be the basis for future studies.

ITERITERITERITERITER

Pol. Industrialde GranadillaParque Eólico38611, San Isidro.

Tenerife. SPAINTel.: +34 922 391000 / Fax: +34 922 391001

Co

nta

ct

72

The strategy for the 100% RES must be

based on the energy demand and the

conventional powered groups used in the

island. Several steps have to be taken prior

to the complete supply with RE sources.

But two scenarios should be analysed:

• RES with Constant Energy Output: Large

hydro, geothermal or biomass resources

• RES with Variable Energy Output: Wind,

Solar, etc.

RES with Constant EnergyOutput: Large hydro, geothermalor biomass resourcesRES can be installed to reach 75% of

conventional groups working in the lowest

consumption hour. For example, in an

insular network with 100 MWh consump-

tion in the valley hour, with three vapour

turbines of 40 MW each, 70 MW of RES

may be installed. This will ensure that the

conventional turbines keep working at a

minimum, without having to turn them off,

and afterwards requiring a fast turn on that

may not be possible.

The next diagram will be the scheme of the

1st integration step, with 115 MW RES

installed:

For a 100% supply, a progressive substi-

tution of conventional groups to RE is

made, until peak demand is supplied with

RES (396 MW in this example). Adding

storage to our equation may flatten the

energy production curve, but it will

significantly increase costs. No special

integration requirements exist in this

scenario, as we are simply replacing fossil

fuels powering the turbines with biofuels

(biomass), heat (geothermal) or waterfalls

(hydropower).

RES with Variable EnergyOutput: Wind, Solar, etc.The main difference for variable energy

output RES integration is that storage is a

must, and it should be able to supply peak

energy demands for an estimated period

when the resource is scarce. Moreover, in a

first step, RE production in optimum

conditions should not exceed 25% of the

conventional power in use for valley energy

demands.

Integration for this scenario should follow

the next step:

1 No regulation: RE power lower than 25%

of power of operating conventional

groups

2 With regulation (both RE and conven-

tional) and RE requiring external excitation

(wind energy with asynchronous genera-

tor): RE power up to twice the power of

operating conventional groups

3 With regulation (both RE and conven-

tional) and RE not requiring external

excitation (wind energy with synchronous

generator): same RE power of power of

operating conventional groups

4 With RE Park disconnection: RE power

not limited

5 With conventional plant disconnection

and RE not requiring external excitation:

RE power up to five times the power of

operating conventional groups

6 100% RES: no conventional plants +

synchronous control + storage.

In a next step, RES power may be installed

up to 75% of conventional groups working

in the peak consumption hour. Regulation is

required in this step, switching off RES

groups to limit its power to the mentioned

75% for each hour.

73

Regarding storage, it should be noted that it

must be dimensioned to meet remaining

energy requirements for peak hours after

deducing constant energy output RES (e.g.

cogeneration or hydro plants) for adverse

climatologic conditions (no generation from

RE variable sources). That is, if we have a

peak demand of 296 MWh at a certain time,

and 100 MWh are guaranteed with constant

energy output RES, our system should have

a storage capacity of 196 MWh.

The diversity of resources available,

depending on the island, makes it extremely

difficult to outline a model that covers all

existing possibilities. In previous chapters,

assessment on the available technologies

depending on the resource has been given,

as well as required changes in policies and

regulations and the "obligation" of RUE as a

previous and continuing step to implement

islands 100% RES.

An example on a real case scenario will

help the understanding of the approach.

We will gather the information for the real

island network of Tenerife Island. The

power demand curve of the island is highly

foreseeable, like in other insular contexts

with long period data available, and there

are no unexpected changes in

consumptions. Additionally it is important to

take into account that there are

consumptions associated to the generation

plants (7,4%) and losses in the distribution

and transport system (7,46%).

The increase in the demand was 7,7%

during 1999. If the percentage of increase

is maintained, the consumption figure will

reach 3 millions of MWh per year in 2010.

Nevertheless, taking into account that RUE

requirements should be followed for a

100% approach, this figure can be reduced

to approximately 2 millions.

The curves on power demand for our case study, both in winter and in summer, are:

In our case scenario, we have a population

of 692.366 inhabitants and the following

conventional groups for energy production:

Estimated increase of Energy Needs

The average consumption per client/family

in the island is 468 kWh per month. The

highest hour demand during 1999 was 396

MWh and the lowest demand 173 MWh.

If we have available RES with constant

energy output, that will reduce energy

requirements of other RES. For example, in

Tenerife there are installations for small

hydro systems. Photovoltaics is an

expensive alternative for a centralized

energy production plant, so the energy

percentage obtained from PV panels in

buildings is negligible for our purposes.

Biomass could be an alternative if soil is

available for energy crops and there are no

Average Power Demand during the day

Technology Power Number TOTALof Turbines

Vapour 40 4 160

Vapour 22 2 44

Diesel 12 3 36

Gas 37,5 2 75

Gas 17,2 1 17,2

Vapour 80 2 160

Diesel 24 2 48

Gas 37,5 1 37,5

Cogeneration 38 1 38

74

non-polluting natural resources. The same

applies to geothermal energy, but Tenerife

geothermal resources are not appropriate.

Nevertheless, the island has excellent wind

resources that could provide the required

energy for island consumption, comple-

mented with a small percentage of small

hydro, photovoltaics, thermal collectors for

DHW, cogeneration and maybe biomass.

The next graph illustrates which generation

groups are in operation in a standard winter

working day, where V means Vapour, D

Diesel, G Gas, and CO Cogeneration. The

adjacent number is the rated power in MW.

Hourly Power Demand

Installed Power and Annual Production in Tenerife

Energy Consumption per sector

75

The southern coast of the island has a wind

resource with 3000 equivalent hours. That

means that, if supplied only with wind

power, the island would require 794 MW

installed. But that is a rough figure, as it

only takes into account the energy needs

over the year. But wind resources are

climate dependant, which means that it is

not adaptable to the energy demand. Taking

into account daily average wind speeds, the

energy generated for 794 MW wind power

and the consumption of the island is the

following:

Nevertheless, peak power demand should

be taken into consideration. Up to now, we

have considered only energy supply in

rough figures, but the peak power demand

(396 MW) is an important matter. Let us

assume we have that peak consumption

simultaneously to a scarce wind resource.

Our storage system should be dimensioned

for that power. That means that the power

from batteries + pumping station from

hydropower + turbines powered with

biofuels + flywheels should equal the power

of consumption. To avoid excessive costs,

Therefore, the period where wind resource

exceeds demand will charge the storage

system, which will supply the required

energy where wind resource is low:

Demand vs. Wind Energy Production

diesel or biofueled turbines may be used for

consumption peaks.

A different path for the dimensioning of the

storage is required, balancing powers to be

able to supply the peak demand. Moreover,

costs for each vector should be analysed to

balance the total investment. It may be

wiser for some scenarios to increase

installed wind power even at the cost of

losing energy, but reducing storage costs

significantly.

The evolution for a 100% RES is not lineal,

it should be done in progressive steps,

each of them at a higher cost. The last step

for 100% RE is extremely expensive, as we

have to guarantee a small energy percent-

age that will occur during days only

throughout the year. A global approximation

of the cost evolution without figures is given

below.

Starage: Charging and Discharging Periods

76

77

The Island Government of El Hierro

(Cabildo de El Hierro), UNELCO (local

utility) and ITC (Technical Institute of the

Canary Islands) are collaborating in a

project whose objective is to cover the

energy demand of the island with 100%

RES by 2005. The first phase of the project

has been carried out with the support of the

Altener Programme.

Actually, it is a very pondered project,

whose first works go back to 1986, when a

first proposal was elaborated: it was really a

pioneer project if we take into account the

absolutely different technological conditions.

At that time the commercially available

aerogenerators were in the rank of 300 kW,

and did not obviously exist yet high-power

machines with synchronous generators.

Sun, wind and waterThe new El Hierro island's allies

Javier MoralesJavier MoralesJavier MoralesJavier MoralesJavier MoralesCabildo de El Hierro

C/ Doctor Quintero Magdaleno, 1138900 Valverde

El Hierro, Canary Islands. SPAINE-mail: [email protected].: +34 922 550101

El Hierro has been the first island that has been declared a BiosphereReserve by the UNESCO in the new millennium. This acknowledge-ment was basically due to the need to preserve the particular naturaland cultural values of the island, but it involved the support to theisland's Sustainable Development Plan that had been officially approvedin 1997, where an ambitious and innovator strategy of future alreadyendorsed by several sustainable development projects started sincethe 80's was defined. Both the basic objectives of the island's declara-tion as a Biosphere Reserve and the Sustainable Development Plancontain the commitment to turn El Hierro into one of the first islands ofthe world that is completely 100% RES. In fact, it is at present the onlycase which recognises a strategy in favour of large-scale use ofrenewables that is contemplated by the sustainable development andconservation forms supported by the United Nations. It is therefore aninnovator project sponsored by the local Island Council with the sup-port of the Canary Islands Government.

ITC - Instituto Tecnológico de CanariasC/ Cebrián, 3

E-35003 Las Palmas de Gran CanariaCanary Islands. SPAIN

Pro

ject

Co

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Evolution of Energy Consumption in El Hierro (MWh)

• 1 wind farm connected to the grid of 280

kW

• Stand alone photovoltaic systems with a

total capacity of 6'5 kW

• 362 m2 of installed solar thermal panels

The evolution of energy consumption and

generation are:

Present situationThe island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, has

an area of 276 km2 and a population of

approximately 6,500 people. Nowadays the

electricity supply is covered through a

conventional thermal power station (diesel

system). The power installed is 8'285 MW.

The contribution of renewable energies was

the following (data from 1998):

78

Description of the 100% RESelectricity supply projectThe Canary Islands Government, through

the Industry and Trade Ministry, has a

special interest to develop this project on

the island of El Hierro as a demonstration

case for a 100% RE supplied community,

one of the most outstanding initiatives of

the Island 100% RES. When successful

results and experiences have been obtained

it is the objective of the Canary Govern-

ment to implement such systems in other

Canary islands and participate in dissemi-

nation and implementation activities in other

islands in Europe and if possible in Africa

and Latin-America.

As demonstrated with the performance of

wind turbines installed in the island for

several years, El Hierro has enough wind

potential to cover all its electrical demand.

However, the Canary Islands' law has

established a limit on the penetration of

wind energy into the grid of 12% in order to

avoid imbalances in the electricity system.

Alternatives to increase the RE utilisation

are therefore looked at. In this context the

following actions to supply 100% of the

electricity demand with RE are in focus:

• Implementation of a combined wind

energy and hydroelectric power station

where water comes from a pump station

pumping water from and to levelled

artificial lakes;

• High penetration of solar thermal

systems for hot water by promotion,

dissemination and financing campaigns;

• Introduction of PV systems and hybrid

systems (PV-Wind) for houses con-

nected to the grid by promotion, dissemi-

nation and financing campaigns;

• Implementation of an energy saving and

energy auditing programme;

• Gradual conversion of the transport

sector from petrol and oil power;

• Introduction of biomass systems.

The actions will take place in parallel to

awareness campaigns, dissemination

events and training courses in order to

ensure the adaptation of the population to

new technologies and organisational

structures and to prepare the island

population to be responsible for the

maintenance of the systems.

Based on the preliminary design already

mentioned, the objective is to design, develop

and install a wind-hydro system capable of

supplying 100% of the island's energy needs.

Regarding natural resources, the island has

an excellent wind potential. There are two

wind turbines installed near the capital (100

and 180 kW rated power). Actually they

supply 5% of the energy needs of the

island. The consumption in the island is

quite reduced (22 GWh per year) due to its

low population. Moreover, it has a small and

isolated electric system.

When considering storage solutions, the

abrupt orography offers advantages for the

installation of a hydro plant, due to the height

(1500 meters with unevenness of 1200

meters) of this relatively small island. A

desalination plant is introduced for filling the

reservoirs that will form the hydro plant and

replace water losses due to evaporation.

Evolution of Energy Consumption in El Hierro (MWh)

100% RES

WIND - HYDROPOWER

SYSTEM

Pumping station

Hydropower station

Desalinating plants

Wind Farm

Accumulation system.

Storage of wind energy in

a reservoir for its posterior

transformation through

hydropower turbines.

79

Figure 1 summarily describes the scheme

of the system. The wind park supplies

energy for consumption, and the energy

surplus is used to pump desalinated water

from the lower reservoir to the upper one,

which is placed at 600m a.s.l. When wind

resource is scarce and does not reach

consumption levels, the water from the

upper reservoir is turbined to the lower one.

If a large period without adequate wind has

exhausted the water in the upper reservoir,

the thermal plant will supply the necessary

energy for the island consumption.

Moreover, there should be confirmed if

corrections in the actual electrical grid were

needed. Therefore, the most viable

configurations were tested in the following

scenario:

Figure 1

The different performance stages of the system are as follows (Figure 2):

Two different solutions were appropriate,

one with 660 kW wind turbines, and

another with 850 kW wind turbines. 15 MW

of wind power are needed for the system.Figure 2

Decision-making diagram to choice the most adequate configuration

80

The evolution of the investment for both configurations, as well as the technical data are the

following:

A new allianceto relieve island's thirstThe history of El Hierro has been deter-

mined bay water and a fear of water

shortage. The geological characteristics of

the island are a serious constraint on the

island's ability to harness water, forcing the

inhabitants to develop a rich and complex

culture. Water has always been collected in

a thousand different ways on the island,

and this is reflected by the fact that Garoe

or Holy Tree, which used capture abundant

water by distilling the Trade Wind mists, is

still a local emblem.

This extreme relationship with water

together with the integral character of the

Sustainable Development Plan contributed

to establish a tight relation between water

and energy resources within the framework

of the 100% RES project.

Seawater desalination imposes itself as a

need to permanently feed the wind-powered

hydraulic system, but it is evident that

another way to accumulate the wind-

generated energy surplus is desalinated

water production.

Within this context the final implementation

of the 100% RES project includes an

The wind turbines will be installed where the actual

turbines are installed, considering it the best site after a

careful study of wind resources on the island. The

reservoirs and generation plants will be placed nearby, as

the unevenness of the terrain is also adequate in the area.

Savings expected from the replacement of the conventional system

to the wind-hydro plant.

Demand-side

management

Rational useof energy

Source

WIN

D

Source

BIOMASS

Sour

ce

SOLA

R

DESALINATION

Waterproduction

BIOGAS

SOLA

R TH

ERM

AL

ACS-

cool

ing

War

m a

ir

SOLAR POWEREDENERGY

BIOCLIMATIC

WIN

D PO

WER

EDEN

ERGY

81

important increase in the desalination

capacity and, as a consequence, a signifi-

cant increment in irrigation water availability

and the local water table upkeep to levels

that avoid its deterioration and salinisation. In

this way new projects of biological agricul-

ture join up with renewable energy.

BiomassOne of the basic features of the island's

sustainable development strategy is the

group of actions generated under the slogan

"El Hierro - zero waste". Biogas production

through valorisation of stockbreeding

effluents and sewage by means of

methanogen fermentation is an essential

part of the outlined strategy based on matter

re-utilisation and scarce water resources.

Since many years several experiences are

being carried out in combined bio-gas

production and water bio-recycling sys-

tems. Being good islanders, El Hierro

people managed to get international

cooperation from another island, Cuba. This

is an island with enough technical experi-

ence and human training and can therefore

transfer low-cost technologies to places

with similar-featured places like El Hierro.

The first phase of this ambitious pro-

gramme has been concluded when the

digesters installed in the experimental farm

sponsored by the local Island Council

started to be operative.

TransportTransport's energy dimension could not be

left out within a sustainable development

integrated project that aims to become a

working model for other island regions of

the world. The Island Council in cooperation

with the local transport co-operation started

to take the first steps to consolidate an

alternative transport system.

The first demonstration projects are based

on:

• Incorporation of a hybrid bus to the local

fleet. At the beginning its use will be

limited to the airport-capital transfer. One

among the various options involves the

use of biogas as fuel.

• Incorporation of an electric, battery-

powered minibus in the El Golfo

area, for a mixed tourist-public use.

It would rely on a photovoltaic

station for its recharge.

• Development and consolidation of

an extensive pedestrian network.

• Incorporation of advanced informa-

tion and management systems

within the framework of the sub-

programme "El Hierro- Digital

Island".

• Development of an ingenious

ticketing system for the optimisation

of displacements in rural scattered

areas, occasionally turning the private

vehicle into collective transport,

supported by electronic systems for

the payment of displacements.

Solar energy perspectivesThe solar thermal market was

actually decreasing since the 80's

in the Canary Islands: that is why

the Canary Islands Government

promoted the PROCASOL pro-

gramme (this programme has been

defined and managed by ITC). The

PROCASOL is a programme for

promoting the Solar Thermal Systems for

hot water mainly for individual household-

ers.

From the financial point of view this

programme provides a subsidy per square

meter and a subsidy to the rate of interest.

But this programme consists not only on

financial measures but also on technical

measures in order to assure the quality of

the installations. In this sense 3 items have

been taken into consideration:

• Guarantees for the installation operation

• Guarantees for the solar collectors

• Guarantees for the installation mainte-

nance

The programme became very effective in

almost all the islands. But it was not very

effective in some of the small islands,

particularly on El Hierro, where in the year

Visit of the representatives of UNESCO, European Commis-

sion and other international organisations to the experimental

farm where the methane digesters and sewage bio-

depuration systems have been installed.

1.999 there were almost no panel installed.

Some of the problems were the lack of

information and dissemination, the distance

to the promoters and that there was no

official installer for solar thermal panels in El

Hierro (the panels installed under this

programme were installed by companies

from another island), and that means

distance and maintenance problems and

lack of trust.

Therefore, thanks to this project, a big

effort has been done in order to promote

solar thermal systems in the island of El

Solar heating panels used in the greenhouses at El Golfo.

The 100% renewables strategy not only concerns

electricity production. At the same time, El Hierro has

started to develop an ambitious programme to harness

solar-thermal energy for producing hot water, and, in the

near future, for cooling, and for implementing stand-alone

photovoltaic systems in isolated ones and others that are

connected to the grid.

R.O Desalination plant

82

Hierro. The financial scheme used was the

PROCASOL programme because it has

been very effective, but a big effort has

been done in promotion, information,

awareness campaigns, explanation to the

local institution and to the local population

and training.

Another big success was the creation of a

local company in charge, among other

matters, to install solar thermal systems.

Attending to this new situation, a high solar

thermal panels demand is expected in the

next years.

A study about the estimated market for

solar thermal systems on El Hierro has

been carried out by ITC. The conclusions of

the study are the following:

This is of course an estimation that tries to

cover all the potential market, the objective,

within this project, was to install 500 m2.

The timetable in order to fulfil this objective

is the following:

For El Hierro, the benefits of the 100%

RES strategy, in quantitative terms, are the

following:

• To reach a high independence from

imported conventional energy resources

(today the Canary Islands are totally

dependent on imported oil);

• Energy will be produced and sold by

Canary companies like the local power

utility;

• Training for local craftsmen;

• New possibilities for employment which

is of crucial importance for the island;

• Important local market for thermal

systems with new opportunities for the

island community;

2.001 2.002 2.003 2.004 TOTAL

Estimation of m2 to be installed 90 120 140 150 500

• New opportunities for sustainable

tourism.

In these terms, the model of El Hierro is

considered crucial for the establishment of

criteria to replicate it in other islands,

preferably within the same archipelago. The

incorporation of 100% RES in its institu-

tional image, together with the application of

best-practice guidelines, allow to

strengthen the new way towards a sustain-

able tourism on which we have been

working for several years.

Landscape conservation has been included as a

basic premise in the development of the 100%

RES global project. The picure shows the moment

when a high-tension cable is taken down because

it crossed the El Hierro giant lizards' habitat, one of

the most emblematic and endangered species of

the Canary Islands. These works started on the

same day when the UNESCO officially declared

the island a Biosphere Reserve.

Householder Tourist Swimming-pool TOTAL

Sector (Hotels) Heating

Estimated market (in m2) 1.024 115 1.420 2.559

ReferencesTowards 100% Renewable Energy on Small Is-

lands. Development and Implementation of Organi-

sational and Financial Tools in a new Network Col-

laboration. ALTENER Project 350/99.

First steps. The El Hierro project has been devel-

oped on the basis set on the simulation and sizing

made in 1986 under the supervision of the research-

ers Mr. Cardona and Mr. Cendagorta. In the origi-

nal concept, the configuration was:

• Wind turbines of 300 kW rated power

• Hydro generators of 1,5 MW

• Diesel generators of 3,8 MW

• 250 and 500 kVA water pumps

• Upper & Lower reservoirs.

83

Energy objectivesSamsoe has the long-term objective that

island heating and electricity needs be met

solely by renewable energy sources in the

course of a ten-year period. Another

objective is to make the transport sector

more efficient, thus reducing fossil fuel

energy consumption in this sector. The

various possibilities for a partial transition to

renewable energy sources in the transport

sector will also be explored.

The energy island project has the explicit

objective to create an appreciable number

of new jobs. The ten-year period of

transition to 100% renewable energy in the

heating and electricity sectors will create

about 30 permanent new jobs in the island

energy sector. The potential for new jobs in

the service trades due to energy island

tourists and guests in the important spring

and fall seasons have not been examined.

Initial steps have been taken to found an

Energy Academy that can develop and

organise educational courses for interested

guests from Denmark and abroad. The

Academy will be run as an independent

institution.

The organisational frameworkThe Municipality of Samsoe (representing

the 4,300 inhabitants), the Samsoe

Association for Energy and the Environ-

ment (representing the consumers), the

Samsoe Agricultural Society and the

Samsoe Chamber of Commerce nominate

a number of persons to the Board of

Trustees of Samsoe Energy Company. This

Board appoints an Executive Committee

that also involves representatives from all

four organisations.

Towards 100 % RESsupply on Samsoe, DenmarkThree years of experiences ina planning period over ten years

SørSørSørSørSøren Hermansenen Hermansenen Hermansenen Hermansenen Hermansen

Samsoe Energy- and Environmental [email protected]

Aage Johnsen NielsenAage Johnsen NielsenAage Johnsen NielsenAage Johnsen NielsenAage Johnsen NielsenSamsoe Energy Company

[email protected]

New district heating areasBy the fall of 2000, the utility Energy

Company NRGi had made so much

progress in the Nordby/Mårup area that the

final contracts with the interested home-

owners are signed. The heating plants in

the villages Nordby and Mårup are based

on wood chips and other available

biomasses as well as a solar heating

system with 2500 m2 solar heaters. The

construction of the system will begin in

June 2001. NRGi will then continue the

implementation of the district heating

scheme in the villages Ballen and Brundby.

Samsoe Energy Company and the Samsoe

Association for Energy and the Environ-

ment contacted the local citizen group in

Onsbjerg in the fall of 2000 to raise the

issue of a local district heating scheme in

the village. Onsbjerg has decided to

establish a straw-based district heating

plant, and a local farmer have been invited

to make the construction and operation of

the plant.

Co

nta

ct

Samsø was in the fall of 1997 appointed by the Ministry of Energy as"Denmarks Renewable Energy Island".The Objective is, that Samsø will be self-sufficient with RenewableEnergy within a decade

84

Energy crops20 - 30 hektars of Elephant grass will be

planted in 2001. 12 farmers have agreed to

grow these new crops on their marginal

acreage. The Elephant grass will be used

as biomass fuel in the district heating

plants.

Lower heating costs insubsidised pensioner homesIn the spring of 1999, the 440 pensioners

who receive municipal heating subsidies

were mailed campaign material that

suggested they consider energy conserva-

tion initiatives in their homes. A national

programme reimburses pensioners up to

50 % of their energy conservation invest-

ments (up to a maximum reimbursement of

25,000 Danish crowns). 62 island pension-

ers have participated in this programme in

'99, resulting in insulation work and the

installation of new windows, etc. for more

than two million crowns.

The mailing campaign was not followed up

in 2000. The good results in 1999, and the

fact that the local carpenters and plumbers

could still refer to the national programme

has meant that 31 new energy conservation

projects for pensioners for the total sum of

815.000 crowns have been carried out in

2000.

Individual renewable energysystems (for homes outsidedistrict heating areas)The Danish Energy Agency subsidised a

new campaign for the promotion of RE

energy installations in the spring of 1999

and 2000. The campaigns in concert with

the ongoing efforts of NRGi and the local

tradesmen has sustained a strong rate of

growth. 70 thermal solar systems, approx.

80 biomass boilers and 30 heat-pump

systems have been established in most

private homes.

Land-based windmillsThe 11 land-based 1 MW windmills were

installed in March and August 2000. This

means that roughly 100% of Samsoe's

electricity consumption is now covered by

windpower. Two of the windmills are owned

co-operatively by Samsoe Vindenergi, while

local farmers privately own nine. A planned

Energy Foundation will receive annual

donations from the windmill owners. These

funds will be made available for public

energy projects on the island.

Sea-based windmillsThe first planning phase for a 22.5 MW

sea-based windmill park south or west of

Samsoe began in the autumn of 1998. The

Danish Energy Agency conducted a

hearing that reduced the three potential

sites to one sole site, an area south of the

island called Paludans Flak. The second

phase of this process entails detailed

planning of the actual site, the exact

windmill placements, environment impact

studies, etc. This phase started in spring

2000 with funding from the Agency.

With the erection of 11 new 1 MW wind turbines, the island has taken a great step towards beging self

sufficient with renewable electricity

In the year 2004 biogas plants shall be established, producing hot water

for district heating and electricity.

The village Tanderup seen from "dyret", ("the animal") a rise on the south of the island

85

The transport sector is very difficult to convert to renewable energy. To compensate for that, offshore wind

turbines will produce the same amount of energy as consumed in the transport sector. This energy can later

on supply electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

The phase 2 study will place 10 windmills

oriented in a straight line from north to

south, with the first windmill about 3½ km.

south of Samsoe. Three turbine sizes are

examined, 2-, 2½- and 3 MW. The hearing

of all implicated parties will take place in the

spring of 2001. If the Agency then approves

the project, the final specifications and

organisational preparations can begin in the

summer of 2001 and the windmills can be

erected in the fall of 2002.

Disposal site methane gasIn the spring of 2000, the energy organisa-

tions and a local farmer began to investi-

gate the possible exploitation of methane

gas from a closed landfill site. With financial

support from The Danish Energy Agency,

the installation was established in autumn

2000. The farmer invited other islanders to

join him in this economic venture, and a co-

operative was born - Samsoe Deponigas I/

S. The methane gas runs a 15kW motor/

generator. The excess heat is not (as yet)

utilised. The electricity is sold to the grid .

The installation is still being adjusted, but

has operated satisfactorily to date in 2001.

Island officials have taken note of the

positive results in this process and started

another feasibility study, a larger installation

at the present disposal site. The gas

chimneys and piping can be established as

In the year 2005 a hydrogen plant will be established (to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen). The plant

will be powered by electricity from the offshore wind turbines. The hydrogen will then supply the transport sector.

the site is filled. The utilisation of the

methane gas will depend on its volume and

quality, but the second phase will heat site

buildings and/or generate electricity.

Renewable energyislands in EuropeThe European Union ALTENER project

"Towards 100% Renewable Energy on

Small Islands" terminated in June 2000.

Samsø, El Hierro (Spain), La Maddalena

(Italy) and Aran Islands (Ireland) collabo-

rated on a series of projects on their

respective islands. Samsoe participated in

this 1½ year programme with campaign

initiatives about the new district heating

areas, the promotion of single home

renewable energy systems, and for co-

operative windmills, both land- and sea-

based. Some time was also invested in the

exchange of experiences and reciprocal

visits to energy project sites on the islands.

Samsoe as anexhibition windowThe office staff has considerable repre-

sentative and public service functions:

receiving guests, participating in confer-

ences, writing articles, answering general

questions about the project, the periodic

update of our home page. There is a great

deal of focus on the project both nationally

and internationally, and this interest is

expected to increase as the specific

projects are realised on the island.

86

87

Gotland's "Renewable EnergyIsland Programme"-On 14th October 1996 The Municipal

Council of Gotland passed the Eco-

programme for Gotland which identifies the

municipalities goal that the island should

become a Zero-Emission Zone and that

The Municipality of Gotland: A renewableenergy island in the Baltic Sea

Partnership Declaration for Gotland's "Renewable Energy IslandProgramme".The Municipality of Gotland hereby declares its ambition to contributeto the aims of the Campaign for Take-off (CTO) and to act to achieve aRES supply equivalent to 100% of the island's energy needs. This willcontribute to achieving the municipality's already identified goal of theisland becoming a sustainable society by 2025.

'Gotland is to become a ecologically

sustainable society within the course of a

generation'.

The programme includes conditions for

achieving these overall aims. Those related

to energy are included below:

Fossil Fuels"Gotlandic dependence upon fossil carbon

resources shall decrease to a level

compatible with long term climate stability.

Fossil fuels shall be replaced with renew-

able energy."

Energy"Gotlandic renewable energy shall be

developed until it suffices for all the

necessary functions of society."

Transport"Society shall be organised in such a way

that the need for transport energy supply

be minimised. The Gotlandic renewable

energy shall suffice for all necessary

transports of people and goods on the

island as well as to and from the island."

Buildings"Buildings shall be designed in such a way

that the need for energy supply for heat and

light be minimised. The Gotlandic renewable

energy shall suffice for all household needs."

Technical equipment"Equipment shall be selected so as to

minimise the need for energy supply for

technical purposes. The Gotlandic renew-

able energy shall suffice for all necessary

operations of tools, machinery and produc-

tion processes."

A participatory processinvolving stakeholdersWork towards the realisation of Gotland as

a renewable energy island is already

underway. In order to achieve the above

Facts about Gotland:

Area 3140km2

Population 58 000

% of region 100%

Geography 40% forest

27% arable

4% grazing

1% lakes

28% other

Annual energy demand:

GWh

Transport 950

Industry 2100

Agriculture 200

Public sector 200

Buildings 200

Total 4425

RME bio-diesel filling station in Hemse

Sustainable school architecture at Hansahuset in

Visby

Mr KMr KMr KMr KMr Keith Boxereith Boxereith Boxereith Boxereith BoxerEnergibyran

Municipality of GotlandBox 2067 - 62156 Visby. SWEDENTel.: +46 498 38380 / Fax: +46 498 38300

E-mail: [email protected]

Co

nta

ct

88

Ele

ctr

icit

y

conditions participation is required from

every level of society.

The overall aim to develop an ecologically

sustainable society has been reflected in

many of the municipalities other plans and

documents such as Vision Gotland 2010,

the Agenda 21 plans, the regional develop-

ment programme and Energi 2005- the

municipality's energy plan

These plans have been approved by the

elected representatives and were developed

in consultation with local actors and the

population at large.

An island rich in naturalresourcesThe island of Gotland has more sun hours

per year than any other county in Sweden. Its

long coastline and location in the middle of the

Baltic sea means that Gotland has also

some of the best locations for establishing

wind power both on land and offshore.

The island is 40% covered in forests and

31% of land area is used for grazing and

arable land. These natural resources mean

that the island has a large potential to

develop energy crops, wind, solar and

biomass sources in order to meet the

island's energy needs from renewable

sources.

Energy from biomass

The use of district heating plant is already

well developed on the island with district

heating systems in the communities of

Hemse, Slite, Klintehamn and Visby. These

heating plants are fuelled to 90% by

renewable resources. The district heating

system in the mediaeval centre of Visby is

currently being expanded. This system

makes use of wood-chip fuelled boilers

combined with heat from a sea-based heat

pump and gas from landfill and a sewage

treatment plant.

WindpowerThe development of windpower on the

island began in the late 1980's. Through

the establishment of wind energy co-

operatives the widespread ownership of

wind energy plant has increased so that

today around 15% of the island's electricity

comes from windpower.

The municipality has taken a active role in

the promotion of wind power and has

developed a plan for wind energy exploita-

tion for the southern half of Gotland. The

amount of electricity generated by wind

power is expected to at least double within

the next 5 years,

Solar energy

Solar energy is largely unexploited today

apart from a small number of projects using

pool heating and domestic hot water

systems. Due to the fact that Gotland has

the most sun hours in Sweden and a large

summer population from tourism the

potential for using photovoltaics and solar

thermal installations in buildings is great. The

municipality has an energy advisor, finan-

cially supported by the Swedish national

Energy Administration, who can advise the

public on solar energy installations.

The municipality and university are

currently developing a demonstration

project to use solar energy to drive a sea-

water based cooling system for the new

public library and university buildings in

Visby. This system could have widespread

applications in other public buildings in

Visby if proved viable.

1 Share of renewable electricity; share of

renewable and recovered heat supplied to

municipal departments

amount of renewable electricity/

total amount of electricity

amount of renewable recovered

heat/total amount of heat

1,0

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

095 96 97 98

0,45

0,62

0,36

0,68

0,44

0,76

0,39

0,86

Näsudden windfarm on the south of Gotland

Solar energy is used to heat pool water at

Suderhälsan spa

The municipality's objectives relating to

Gotland's renewable energy island programme

Strategy for the Inner City of Visby, 1993

• Replace oil fired heating with district heating

Vision Gotland 2010, 1995

• Produce an up to date energy plan for Gotland

• Stimulate the use of alternative energy sources

• Develop a strategy for siting windpower on land

and offshore

• Support local projects for low energy housing and

consider energy issues in land use planning

Agenda 21 plans,

(Eco-programme 1996 & Kretsloppsplan 1998)

• Reduce Gotlands vulnerability through an in-

creasing energy self-sufficency

• Support energy efficiency with energy advisory

services

• Produce short and long term plans with analyses

for large-scale renewable energy use

• Secure the possibilities for a continued expan-

sion of wind power.

89

Recycled energyReducing energy consumption through

energy efficiency measures is an essential

element in developing a sustainable energy

system. Re-using excess heat from industrial

processes is one way that the overall energy

demand on the island can be reduced.

One of Europe's largest cement factories is

located on Gotland at Cementa in Slite.

Cementa is responsible for over 1/3 of the

energy consumption on the island. Excess

heat is already being used to supply the

district heating system in Slite. In 1999

Cementa were awarded a grant from the

Swedish Ministry for the Environment for

an installation for converting excess

industrial heat into electricity.

On the waste tip in Visby landfill gas is

extracted by GEAB and used to provide

heat for the district heating system in Visby.

Alternative Vehicle FuelsThe municipality has been investigating the

possibilities to replace fossil fuels in the

transport sector on Gotland. Biogas,

ethanol, electricity and rapeseed oil (RME)

are some of the areas currently under

evaluation. The municipality recently

procured 90 new vehicles many of which

can run on RME. The rest can operate with

upto 15% bio-ethanol mixed with petroleum.

Investigations are currently under way into

the establishment of a bio-ethanol produc-

tion factory at Roma where the existing

plant that previously produced sugar from

sugarbeet is now being closed down.

Should this prove viable then the municipal-

ity will increase its use of Bio-ethanol in the

transport sector. Exporting bio-ethanol will

help to compensate some for the islands

fossil fuel consumption that cannot be

replaced by renewable sources.

Biogas has been considered for use in

public transport and in agriculture. A bio-

gas demonstration plant is currently under

construction at Lövsta agricultural college

to assess the possibilities for biogas use

and production in connection with farming.

This project has been supported by an

investment grant from The Swedish

Ministry for the Environment

Local companies and organisations such as

Hassela Gotland have vehicle fleets running

on RME. RME filing stations have been

established in Hemse, Klintehamn and Visby.

Planning and the development of infrastruc-

ture that can reduce the need for vehicles

is an important element in the municipality's

strategy for reducing Co2 emissions.

RME is used in the municipality's vehicle fleet

Regional Development Programme, 1998

• Work for energy efficiency and rational energy use

• Support renewable energy sources

• Implement strategic energy planning.

• Work to increase competence in the energy sector

• Work to increase R&D in energy related issues

(The university should have a central role)

• Support and participate in international networks

in the energy sector.

• Work for competetive energy prices and for the

"export" of wind energy.

Gotlands Tillväxtavtal 1999

(Agreement for regional growth between the mu-

nicipality and the national government)

• Increase the use of renewable energy

• Increase heat production from forestry residues,

bio-gas and re-cycled energy

• Develop techniques for electricity production from

biological material.

• Increase use of ethanol and RME in transport

• Develop techniques for using biogas in transport

Objective 5b Gotland 1996 - 1999

• Increase energy efficiency

• Stimulate alternative energy solutions

• Increase the use of Information Technology in the

energy sector

• Work long term for the establishment of R&D

• Support projects for low energy housing and con-

sider energy issues in planning of buildings.

• Increase the knowledge about an electricity net-

work with a large amount of generation from

renewables.

Gotland Energy Projects

Achieved:

• Bio-fuelled district heating systems in Visby,Slite,

Klintehamn and Hemse

• 117 Wind turbines installed by 1999 producing

62 GWh/yr

• Energi 2005, an energy plan for Gotland approved

by the municipal council October 1999.

• Development plan for windpower on southern

Gotland, approved by the municipal council De-

cember 1999.

• Sweden's first 2.5MW offshore windfarm com-

pleted at Bockstigen

• Gotland's Energy Agency established 1996

• Free energy advisory services introduced 1999

• Conversion of oil fired burners to wood chips in

Municipal properties.

• Small scale hydro-electric installation

• Demonstration of RME in vehicles

• Energy use monitoring in buildings by Agenda 21

group

• Biogas production at the waste tip in Visby

• HVDC light cable installed for 50MW windpower

transmission from Näsudden to Visby

• Construction of school building at Säveskolan in

Visby demonstrating natural ventilation and so-

lar energy use

• The use of sea based heat pumps to supply the

district heating network in Visby

• Energy audit of 98 of Gotland's Churches

• Suderhälsan in Hamra, a health centre and spa

supplied from wind, solar and geothermal energy

In progress:

• The expansion of the district heating network in

Visby inner city.

• New public library and university buildings in Visby

with 100% renewable energy supply.

• The construction of a biogas demonstration plant

at Lövsta agricultural college

• Testing of RME fuelled vehicles in the munici-

pality's fleet

• The conversion of excess heat into electricity at

Cementa's factory in Slite

• The conversion of the sugar factory in Roma into

ethanol production.

• The construction of cycle paths in and around

Visby

• The installation of a "solar-roof " at Gråbo school

in Visby

• Monitoring of energy usage in the municipality's

buildings

• Construction of a 42MW demonstration offshore

windfarm at Klasorden

90

Energi 2005, Energy plan for Gotland 1999

• Reduce the use of fossil fuels

• Increase the use of renewable energy

• Expand the district heating networks.

• District heating shall be at least 90% bio-fuelled

• Increase windpower installations upto 120MW by

2005

• Reduce the amount of electricity used in heating

buildings

• Implement energy efficiency measures and the

rational use of energy

• The municipality shall be a role model in regard

to rational energy use and the use of renewable

energy sources.

• Use solar energy in buildings that have a large

hot water requirement in the summer.

• Monitor progress and update the energy plan

• Produce a long term energy plan to achieve an

ecologically sustainable society by 2025

able development. The university under the

guidance of Dr. Tor Broström is currently

establishing a centre of competence in wind

energy development. The university co-

operates with the municipality and local

companies in energy related projects. Most

recently the co-operation between the

university and the municipalities property

department has focused on the design of

the universities new buildings on sustain-

able architectural principles with 100% of

energy supply from renewable sources.

Research, developmentand demonstrationResearch, development and demonstration

of energy technologies is another area

where the university has been co-operating

with local companies. One success has

been in the development of offshore wind

power installations off the islands coast.

This project developed by a local company

Vindkompaniet AB received investment

support from the EU's THERMIE pro-

gramme.

Bockstigen Valar 2.5MW offshore windfarm outside

Näsudden

The Municipality of Gotland (Gotlands Kommun)

hereby declares it's willingness to contribute to the

implementation of the Campaign for Take-Off in the

programme "Gotland a renewable energy island in

the Baltic Sea" by :

• Contributing to developing and implementing a

strategy and action plan aiming at an equivalent

100% RES supply. Ie. Energy will be produced

on Gotland from renewable sources to match the

total amount of local energy consumption.

• Taking action to decrease C02 emissions annu-

ally and work towards Gotland becoming an eco-

logically sustainable society by 2025.

The municipality of Gotland, when requested will

keep the European Commission informed on the

implementation of the above actions.

The following organisations have declared their

support for Gotland's Renewable Energy Island

programme and its nomination to the 100 RES

Communities programme.

Gotland University College

Gotland's Regional Energy Agency

The Swedish National Energy Administration

The Swedish Ministry of Environment

By becoming one of the first 100 Renewable Com-

munities in Europe we hope to be able to share our

knowledge and experience in the field of renew-

able energy sources and serve as a benchmark for

other communities who are also working towards

100% renewable energy supply.

We also expect to gain from the experiences of

other organisations in the network in terms of in-

creased technical know-how and understanding of

the socio-economic impacts of implementing a

100% RES strategy.

We feel sure that participating in the 100 Com-

munities programme will assist Gotland in is aim

of becoming an ecologically sustainable society

by 2025.

We hereby declare our willingness to contribute to

the implementation of the EU's whitepaper on re-

newable energy sources by participating in the

Campaign for Take off.

Visby 2000-04-03

Mr Hans KlintbomMayor of Gotland

Mr Johan TräffDirector of the Municipality

Declaration of intent:

In order to reduce traffic and pollution in the

historic inner city of Visby car bans are

inforced during the busy summer period.

Vägverket (The Dept for Roads and

Transport) has been expanding the cycle

route network on Gotland and improving

cycle connections from the surrounding

districts to the main town of Visby.

MonitoringThe municipality has established an

Agenda 21 Co-ordination group which is

responsible for producing an annual

environmental report for the municipality.

Statistics relating to energy use and

emissions are collected and compared with

the previous years performance.

The municipality also has a current energy

plan that is required by law in Sweden. This

plan sets targets for overall energy consump-

tion and includes an environmental impact

assessment of energy use and production.

The current energy plan which was approved

by the municipal council in October 1999 has

set a target of 40% of the island's total energy

needs to be supplied by RES and recycled

energy sources by year 2005.

Co-operationThe University College of Gotland has

courses in engineering, energy technology,

ecological building techniques and sustain-

Energy ManagementIn 1996 the municipality established

Gotlands Regional Energy Agency with

support under the EU´s SAVE programme.

The agency's aim is to increase awareness

and stimulate the development of renew-

able energy sources and encourage

efficient energy use. The agency works

closely with the municipality, the university

and private companies in order to identify

opportunities for RES development and to

work towards the realisation of a sustain-

able energy system. The agency has been

active in developing the regional energy

plan and assisting local companies in

participating in national and European

energy R&D programmes.

91

The Archipelago of La Maddalena is

compounded of seven islands and various

islets that constitute administratively the La

Maddalena Municipality. La Maddalena isle

is 19,6 square Kilometers area, 43 coast

line and it is the only one with a populated

town, 12.000 inhabitants. Caprera, the

ancient Garibaldi residence place is a little

and beautiful island linked to the La

Maddalena by a bridge. The other small

islands are uninhabited except for Santa

Maria which is populated by tourists in the

Summer time. La Maddalena archipelago is

a National Park (Law 10/94, and DPR 17/5/

96) with provisional land and sea Zones

with different barriers. Currently the

archipelago depends for energy from the

mainland Sardinia and the electricity is

"imported" by using sea cables ( up to a

total per year of 41.841 MWh).

The interest but also the necessity for local

realities to participate, in the short period, to

the deep modifications of energy market,

supported by the law innovations, and in

particular the interest in realizing sustain-

able development, especially for the

Towards 100% RES Supplyin La Maddalena Island - Sardinia

precious area of La Maddalena, have been

for the local institutions a good suggestion

to select to be supplied, even in the long

period, 100% for RES. The project for

energy innovative exploitation in La

Maddalena is harmonized with a specific

scopes:

1 To comply the measure as large as

achievable with main constraints

imposed by Natural Park Authority

existing on the archipelago;

2 To introduce and increase the use of

renewable sources in view of performing

the energetic autonomy to be reached in

a moderate period of time.

These two aspect are developed in parallel,

because do not allow the completion of the

whole program it both purposes with not be

contemporary exhausted.

For a region like that of La

Maddalena it is strictly

necessary to conform the

RES plants with the charac-

teristics of natural park. The

point consisted on the

investigation of which kind of

energy was prevalent and

which mutual extent among

different sources of renewable

energies were applicable to a

community living near a

natural park, but not of it. If we

compare the revenues coming

from the tourism and from the

natural park, the largest

contribution in term of money is available

from the former source. The technical

solution to the problem can suggest typical

arrangement valid also for other applica-

tions having similar strong limitations like

those emerging from La Maddalena.

In this contest the local authorities of La

Maddalena have already indicated, in the

programs and in the development strategic

lines, a coherent way, also in the matters of

energy and environment, with the European

and national indications, anticipating for

many aspects, the regional actual situation.

Among the actions carried out from La

Maddalena Community Board for energy

and environmental and sustainable

development there is an important town

council decision which states in an official

decision the fundamentals guide lines for

the future. The plentiful renewable energy

sources potential existing in the archipelago

(1880 KWh/m2/year from the solar energy

and the aeolian wind data verified from

Marina Militare Italiana, confirmed from

ENEA and Bologna University) lead the

authorities to take in examination the

opportunity of exploitation for energetic

scopes. The local administration examined

the compatibility of RES exploitation with

Antonio Giovanni RassuAntonio Giovanni RassuAntonio Giovanni RassuAntonio Giovanni RassuAntonio Giovanni RassuPunto Energia Provincia di Sassari

Strada Provinciale La Crucca 57100 Sassari. ITALYTel.: +39 079 30 26 031

Fax.: +39 079 30 26 [email protected]

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La Maddalena archipelago project represents the typical case of manyislands that have been declared protected areas because of their envi-ronmental values and that must face the challenge to combine energyself-sufficiency with the conservation of their natural and landscapevalues.

92

environmental restrictions. They are so

many important because the surrounding

areas have to be protected from possible

pollution and preserved, improving if

possible, the quality standards for inhabit-

ants and visitors.

La Maddalena took part at a European

project, in the framework of Altener

Program (1998-2000) with the island of

Samsoe (Dk), El Hierro (Sp), Aran (Ir), with

the objective of pursuing the energy

autonomy from RES.

At the end of the feasibility phase the local

board accepted two engagements in two

official acts: to reach in a medium long

period 100% RES supply; to ask the italian

government to select the island for this

scope.

The work carried out in that phase includes

the following objectives: to set up 1 MWp

from solar PV and 3-4 MWp from wind

energy to locate in selected places and

considering the main productive services of

La Maddalena isle (e.g. water cycle,

drinkable water, water treatment) together

with the new planned structures of the

island (e.g. New tourist port, street

illumination) and finally the planned

restoration buildings, monument (e.g.

fortress, many structures) and, of course,

the energy supply for the small isles of La

Maddalena archipelago (stand alone

systems). The main task is the technologi-

cal modernizement of services and the

supply and use of energy. For this scope

the energetic question has been tightly

linked with the :

a) constitution of a Consortium for the

Technological Services Management of

the whole archipelago, concerning in

particular the production and the

distribution of the energy (electric en.

Prevalently), the aqueduct and the water

treatment management, the wastes

collection and treatment, the quality of

environment monitoring services;

b) the transport improvement, oriented to

the pollution reduction and the preferen-

tial utilization of electric traction means;

c) the realization of a research program on

renewables oriented to improve the

technological and physical parameter,

with the aim to make the applications

more competitive in the market.

In the actual phase the political decisions

have to be better defined also because it is

necessary to plan the actions and the

utilization of financing, oriented to

renewables implementation existing in

structural founds, but also in national and

regional programs. The initiative constitute

an important occasion not only for La

Maddalena archipelago but also for the

whole Sardinia island.

93

The present primary energy consumption of

the island is 7,940 MWh in electricity and

21,897 MWh in fuels. On the other side of

the balance, the island generates 15,000

MWh a year from wind power.

Renewable Energy PlanIn 1997, a renewable energy plan for

Pellworm was drawn up. The title of the

plan is “Energy Supply on the Basis of

Renewable Energy Sources Using the

Example of the North Sea Island Pellworm -

A Local Development Plan”. The goal of the

development plan was to present model

concepts for energy supply based on

renewable energies and to access a broad

spectrum of applications. Special emphasis

was given to wind power and biomass and

to ways of storing energy.

Pellworm's strategy for the future is based

on fully exploiting its main sources of

renewables: wind, sun and biomass.

The Pellworm experience

The island of Pellworm, with an area of 32 km2 and a population of 900inhabitants, is an excellent case of an energy 100% RES project. Theisland economy is based on farming and tourism, with an overwhelm-ing predominance of the services sector. Because of the acuteseasonality of the tourist industry, its energy needs are one of the ma-jor conditioning factors of the energy self-sufficiency project. Anotheressential aspect that defines the case of Pellworm is the fact that theisland is currently connected to the mainland electricity grid in Ger-many via submarine cables. The idea is to break this connection in theimmediate future and create a self-sufficient, 100% RES system.

Wind power for PellwormWind power has, by far and away the

greatest potential of the island's renewable

energies. In the late

70's, experiments were

started on Pellworm

with wind generators.

There are presently 16

wind generators on the

island, which represent

an installed power of

5.9 MW. These give an

annual output of 15,100

MWh. The estimated

potential of wind power

for the island is 91,500 MWh, which leaves

a wide enough margin for the projects of

the future.

With regard to becoming self-sufficient in

energy, and for the purposes of calculating

storage margins, studies carried out indicate

that the longest periods of recorded calm

(with no wind) do not exceed 74 hours.

Biomass resourcesBasic biomass resources are focussed on

harnessing energy from straw and manure

to offer a perfect energy complement to

cover the eventuality of variable winds. The

inventory of available biomass even

includes harnessing grass cuttings from

the edges of the roads. The renewable

energy plan calculates biomass potential at

7,000 MWh/year, which could be used for

producing moderate heat and for supplying

electricity. The proposal is based on a

power station with a capacity to produce

around 1 MW of heat and 200 kW of

electricity.

94

Photovoltaic EnergyThe island also has a long tradition of

harnessing photovoltaic solar energy: there

are currently nearly 8,000 m2 of photo-

voltaic panels installed. In 1983, the first

plant was installed (300 kW). This photo-

voltaic field stopped operating in 1989 and

is presently undergoing re-organisation. In

1992, the new photovoltaic plant was

installed. This has exactly the same power

and records an annual production of 225

MWh.

Understanding the photovoltaic plant as a

combined system with a wind farm, we

have one of the largest hybrid systems

installed in Europe. Solar thermalAdvances in the studies done for Pellworm

suggest that almost half of the hot water

Heat pumps and the increase inenergy efficiencyOne of the aims of the plan is to bring heat

pumps into general use in at least 500 of

the 674 residential buildings of Pellworm,

which consume 13,000 MWh/year in heat.

By generalising the use of heat pumps,

electricity requirements could be cut

drastically, bringing it down to around 4,300

MWh/year; an essential step in the design

of a model of energy self-sufficiency.

requirements could be met by solar thermal

energy. This evidently means an increase in

the number of solar installations. There are

28 at the moment, with a total area of 318

m2. By producing hot water this way, there

would be an approximate energy saving of

127 MWh/year. The Plan intends to install

solar thermal energy in 270 of the 674

buildings on the island, which would provide

390 MWh/year in heat.

BiogasAvailable liquid manure (slurries), based on

the possibility of concentrating the effluents

of 70% of the livestock holdings, is around

11,000 m3/year. Cost analysis suggests

that the generation of biogas would only be

feasible with a centralised system using

methane digestors. Within the context of

the concept of 100%RES for Pellworm, two

biogas production scenarios have been

analysed (46 kWel and 200 kWel). The

smaller version gives better continuous

performance, whereas the larger version

would provide greater stored power, with

sufficient capacity to cover windless days.

95

ObjectivesThe objectives of the "Renewable Energy

Park' programme are:

1. Introduce the contribution of renewable

energies in the power consumption of the

local population and industry. The

Municipality is committed towards

demonstrating the availability of renew-

able energy technologies, in order to

stimulate further private initiatives and

projects in the island of Corfu.

2. Exploit the energy potential of biomass,

wind and solar energy.

3. Provide with 100% renewable energy the

communities of Acharavi, Perithia, Palea

Peritheia, Laffi and Klimatia, by the year

2004-5.

4. Use of facilities for research purposes

(applicable only in the case of biomass

reactor for bio-oil production).

5. Introduce renewable energy technology

to the local professional human re-

sources (training of engineers and

technicians).

6. Increase awareness of local population

and tourists upon renewable energy

sources and their benefits through

information (advertising) campaign.

Renewable Energy ParkFor the Island of Corfu

Corfu is an island located at the north-west borders of Greece, betweenGreece, Albania and Italy The Municipality of Thinalli was formed in1990 by the merging of the 12 pre-existing communities of the region. Itcovers an area of 8,000 hectares, with a permanent population of 5,500people, which is tripled in the summer months (March-October), due totourism.In 1995 the Municipality of Thinalli started an initiative aiming the es-tablishment of environmental protection projects and policies. In spring1999 the Technical Services of the Municipality started a programmefor the next 5 years. The programme is concentrated on actions thathave to be taken by the Municipality and private bodies, in order toincrease the Renewable Energy penetration to the local consumptionof energy. The reason for this action was the fact that the electricityproduced in Greece is generated by the coal-fired stations of PPC andheating is supplied by petrol-fired boilers as the natural gas introducedlately to the Greek market will not be supplied to island regions suchas Corfu.

MrMrMrMrMr. Nikos P. Nikos P. Nikos P. Nikos P. Nikos ParararararginosginosginosginosginosTechnical Services Department

Municipality of Thinalion49100 Acharavi , Corfu - KerkyraGREECE

Tel: +30 663 64420 / 63668Fax: +30 663 63669

e-mail: [email protected]

7. Stimulate the market of liquid bio-fuels in

the island of Corfu.

ActionsRecording of loads

The first action to be taken is the recording

of all municipal, citizens and industrial loads

in the area. This will help in calculating the

yearly energy consumption of the area, and

therefore the requirements for installed RE

power will be

quantified and

determined. This

will help the

Municipality to set

yearly targets for

installation of RE

systems, for the

next 5 years, in

order to achieve the

100% RE supply.

This process has

already started, and

will be ended by

December 2000.

Energy efficiency

The engineers of the Technical Services

Department of the Municipality have already

started considering the implementation of

various solutions, in order to reduce the

energy consumption and achieve rational

use of energy in installations and buildings

owned by the Municipality (Municipality

building, schools, athletic centre, water

pumping stations etc). Such actions include

the replacement of all the incandescent

lamps with electronic, high-efficiency ones,

the implementation of double glazing, the

installation of capacitors at the large

pumping stations, etc. These measures

have already Started being applied and will

be ended by late 21M, they are aiming in

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96

reducing the energy consumption of the

municipality by 40%, in yearly basis.

BiomassThe main objective of the project is to build

a biomass plant, for municipal and agricul-

tural waste combustion, using advanced

combustion technique for the production of

bio-oil. The Municipalities covering the north

part of the Wand have merged together, in

order to implement an action plan, targeting

the construction of the plant. using

municipal and agricultural waste as

combustion RW. The local authorities

participating on the action are the Munici-

palities of Esperion, Thinalli Kassiopi, Agios,

Georgios, Feakes and Palaiokastritsa, all

located in the north of Corfu. The action is

included in the target for "5 M tonnes of

liquid bio-fuels" in the campaign for take-off.

The plan is to start construction of the plant

by 2001.

Anaerobic digester

The Municipality of Thinalli has recently

started a project consisting of the installa-

tion of a waste- water network and a

biological waste- water treatment plant,

together with a anaerobic digester unit for

methane production. The project started in

1999 and it will be concluded by late

2002.The Municipality achieved public

financing for this project of 6,060,606 Euro.

Wind power

After measurements of the region's wind

power have been completed (by early

2002), a decision will be made upon the

potential of the wind turbines to be installed,

in order to cover the energy needs of the

communities belonging to the municipality.

It is estimated that a plant generating an

approximated of 5 M kWh/annum will be

required. Installation is expected to

commence by early 2003 and will be

directed by the Development

Company of Thinalli.

PV Systems

A demonstration installation of

a PV system to supply

electricity for the Municipality

building will be achieved,

within the year 2000. This is to

promote and introduce the

use, effectiveness and

reliability of PV technology, in

order to be adopted by citizens and

industries as well.

Solar Thermal collectors

A number of solar

collectors will replace

the existing electric

boilers of the sports

centre of the municipal-

ity, in order to provide

the centre with hot

water. The installation

will take place in

Autumn 2000 and will

be directed by the

Municipality of Thinalli.

ManagementThe installation will be directed by the

Technical Services Department of the

Municipality of Thinalli. The engineers of

this department will also contribute to the

workload to be undertaken by the Develop-

ment Company of Thinalli. The decision

making for all the actions will be undertaken

by the Mayor of the Municipality of Thinalli,

excluding the biomass plant, where all 6

Mayors will contribute; it is expected that

after finishing the preliminary design study

of the plant, a company will be formed to

undertake the project Special attention

should be given to the participation of the

Development Company of the Municipality

of Thinalli (AN.THI). which will undertake a

large stake of the projects, in order to

achieve a flexible platform, where a mixture

of private and public investments could be

exploited, for developing the renewable

energy projects in the region.

97

Samsø-100% RE islandIn the Danish Action Plan, Energy 21 from

1996 it was decided that the government

should work on the designation of a local

area which should change its supply of

energy to local RE sources.

As a result of this commitment the Danish

island Samsø was chosen in 1997 among

five competing islands, to be powered and

fuelled by renewable energy only - including

the transport sector-within the next decade.

On Samsø they are busy planning and

carrying through the ideas, in order to

provide the island with renewable energy

sources and to live up to the expectations

involved in the appointment.

Being chosen as a renewable Energy

Island does not mean that the energy

agency/ Government decides and pays

everything. Without the contribution of the

population, there will be no RE island.

There has been local involvement in all the

projects. For instance, local workshops

have been set up in the district heating

areas. Working groups use their influence

on the projects concerning ownership.

Also in relation to wind turbines, citizens

meeting are being held concerning

ownership, visual impact on offshore wind

farms, etc.

Renewable Energy IslandsThe Danish Energy Way

Iben ØsterIben ØsterIben ØsterIben ØsterIben ØstergaargaargaargaargaardddddEnergy Centre Denmark,

Danish Technological Institute,P.O. Box 141, DK 2630 Taastrup. [email protected]

Phone + 45 7220 2446

The Samsø plan

Samsø is an island of 114 km² with a

population of approx. 4,400 people. There

are ferry routes to Sealand and Jutland,

and the island is visited by a large number

of tourists. Total energy consumption is

about 900 TJ/year, corresponding to about

4.8 tonnes oil equivalent per person per

year. Converting the energy supply system

In 1999 Denmark covered approximately 10% of its energy consump-tion (840 PJ), with renewable energy (80 PJ). These 80 PJ were origi-nated as follows: 317 TJ solar energy, 10.9 PJ wind energy, 20 PJbioenergy wood, 13.7 bioenergy straw, 2.6 PJ biogas, 29 PJ waste, 3.6PJ heat pumps.Denmark has one officially nominated Renewable energy island, Samsø,a county in Jutland that is covering more than 100% of its electricityconsumption with wind, and several other renewable energy societiesand RE-technologies are flourishing in the backgarden.Of course, the RE island Samsø will be of interest in this matter and sowill our other self-grown RE societies such as Ærø. We find informa-tion and dissemination of results of great importance, and we havealready had a European RE island conference on Samsø in 1998, withrepresentatives from 14 countries and presentations from 10 islandsall over Europe. A global conference with focus on RE in island statestook place on Ærø in September of last year. Both conferences weresupported by the Danish Energy Agency and the EU Commission. Theisland of Læsø is also working with RE-plans for the future energysolution.

to renewable energy is therefore a big task,

and success depends on the use of many

different technologies.

Roughly 340 TJ of energy consumption is

used to heat buildings. Intensive cuts

involving additional insulation and renova-

tion of buildings, as well as the introduction

of energy control in companies and public

buildings, will make it possible to reduce

the heating requirement by 20 %. Before

the plan, 13% of the heating requirements

were covered by a collective strawfired

heating plant in the main town, Tranebjerg.

Establishing 4 new plants would make it

possible for collective plants to cover 65%

of the islands heating requirements.

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98

The plan consists of five cornerstones:

1)Energy saving and increased efficiency:

(20% cut in the 340TJ for heating in

buildings)

2)Expansion of collective heating supply

systems with 4 locally based systems

fuelled with RE (wood chips, central

solar, biogas)

3)Expansion of individual heating systems

using heat pumps, solar heating,

biomass, etc.

4)Establishment of land based and offshore

wind power plants to cover the electricity

consumption and to compensate for use

of fossil fuels in the transport sector.

5)Savings in the transport sector and

gradual conversion of the transport sector

from petrol and oil to electrical power. (5%

reduction of traffic, 15 % reduction of

energy consumption by using electric

vehicles. Still this leaves 250 TJ fossil

fuels. (1/3 for the ferries). 75 % should be

produced by wind turbines the rest by

biomass and solar cells.

It will take app. 600 mio. DKK to carry out

the plan over a 10 year period, and it will

create 45 fulltime job in this period and 30

permanent new jobs in the island energy

sector.

Status of the activities and furhter

activities

Individual solutions outside district heating

systems

A public campaign for the promotion of RE

energy installation together with ongoing

local efforts has resulted in a strong rate of

growth. About 100 thermal solar units have

been installed on private houses and there

are solar installations in the ports, on a

youth hostel, campsite, and a holyday

camp. More than 20 households have

volunteered to be hosts for a new concept

of combined room and domestic hot water

heating from a solar heating plant. 75

biomass boilers/ovens for wood logs,

pellets, wood chips or grain, about 20 heat

pumps, mostly soil heat pumps, have been

installed. More plants are to be installed in

"the open land" in the year to come.

Energy conservation

A national programme reimburses pension-

ers up to 50% of their energy conservation

investments (up to a maximum reimburse-

ment of 25,000 Danish crowns). After a

direct mail campaign 92 island pensioners

have participated in this programme,

resulting in insulation work and the

installation of new windows, etc. for almost

3 million crowns in 1999 and 2000.

District heating plants

Citizen groups from two of the district

heating areas have decided that the

electricity ulility ARKE (now NRGi) is going

to establish the two plants. Market analysis

on the local interest for joining a district

heating scheme has taken place, because

an important factor will

be the amount of

interest from

houseowners when

they are asked to sign

up. The Municipality of

Samsø guarantees the

necessary loans.

In 2000 the final

contracts with the

interested homeowners

could be signed in

Nordby/Mårup area.

The heating plant here

will be based on wood

chips and other available biomasses as well

as a solar heating system with 2500 m2

solar heaters. NRGi will continue the

implementation of the district heating

scheme in Ballen and Brundby.

Samsø Energy Company and the Samsø

Association for Energy and the Environment

contacted local citizen groups in Onsbjerg

and Kolby/Kolby Kås to raise the issue of

local district heating schemes in each

respective area. Onsbjerg has decided to

establish a straw-based district heating

plant. NRGi and a local entrepreneur have

been invited to make bids on the construc-

tion and operation of the plant. In Kolby and

Kolby Kås the current question is whether or

not excess heat from the Sealand ferry can

be used for district heating purposes.

Disposal site methane gas

Samsø Energy Company and a local farmer

have investigated the possible exploitation

of methane gas from the recently closed

landfill site. With financial support from The

Danish Energy Agency, the installation was

established in autumn 2000. The farmer

invited other islanders to join him in this

economic venture, and a co-operative was

born - Samsø Deponigas I/S. The methane

gas runs a 15kW motor/generator. The

excess heat is not (as yet) utilised. The

electricity is sold to the grid (NRGi). The

installation is still being adjusted, but has

operated satisfactorily to date in 2001.

Island officials have taken note of the

positive results in this process and started

another feasibility study, a larger installation

at the present disposal site. The gas

chimneys and piping can be established as

the site is filled. The utilisation of the

methane gas will depend on its volume and

quality, but the second phase will heat site

buildings and/or generate electricity.

Energy Crops

20-30 hektars of Elephant grass will be

planted in 2001. 12 farmers have agreed to

grow these new crops on their marginal

acreage. The Elephant grass will be used as

biomass fuel in the district heating plants.

Maarup port: Solar heating plant at the harbour of Maarup, Samsø.

99

Wind turbines.

The enormous local interest of establishing

wind turbines on Samsø has been signifi-

cant for the rest of Denmark: 40 private

people have applied for permit to establish

solo - wind turbine on their own land, but

only 15 wind turbines was allowed by the

planning authorities.

One could expect this matter to end up in

a dogfight. But after a public hearing and a

successful citizens meeting and negotia-

tions, the final result is 11 wind turbines of

each 1 MW innstalled in 2000. The

turbines are a mixture of single owned and

cooperative owned. This ownership model

has been the driving force in the diffusion

of wind turbines in Denmark. Two of the

windmills are owned co-operatively by

Samsø Vindenergi, while local farmers

privately own nine. A planned Energy

Foundation will receive annual donations

from the windmill owners. These funds will

be made available for public energy

projects on the island.

The plan was to cover approx. 75% of

electricity with RE, however, with the new

turbines Samsø covers roughly 100 % of

its electricity consumption with RE.

Offshore

The first planning phase for a 22.5 MW off

shore wind farm south or west of Samsø

began in the autumn of 1998. The result of a

hearing is a suitable area south of the island,

Paludans Flak. The second phase started in

April 2000 including detailed planning of the

actual site, the exact wind turbine siting,

environment impact studies, etc. The work is

funded from the Danish Energy Agency. The

study will place 10 windturbines oriented in a

straight line from north to south, with the first

windmill about 3½ km. south of Samsø. The

choice is between 2-, 2½- and 3 MW

turbines. The hearing of all implicated parties

will take place in the spring of 2001. If the

Agency then approves the project, the final

specifications and organisational prepara-

tions can begin in the summer of 2001 and

the windturbines can be erected in the fall of

2002.

The offshore wind turbines will produce the

same amount of energy as consumed in the

transportsector, and thus compensate for this

consumption. This energy can later on supply

electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Future plans:

In 2003 a local heating network in Ørby is

planned to be supplied from an existing

strawboiler at the estate of Brattingsborg.

In the year 2004 biogas and biomass plants

shall be established producing hot water for

district heating and electricity. The district

heating areas are Besser, Langemark,

Torup and Østerby.

In 2005 a hydrogen plant will be established

to separate water into hydrogen and

oxygen. The plant will be powered by

electricity from the offshore wind turbines.

The hydrogen will then supply the transport

sector. There shall also be a filling station,

and the plan is to convert petrol cars to be

driven by hydrogen.

Neighbourhood district heating uses

smaller plants for villages, usually supplied

from neighbour farms with existing boilers

and a surplus of biomas production. Such

plants are planned for Tanderup, Hårdmark

and Pillemark.

Farmers will begin to deliver wood-chips

from their own energy willow areas.

The objective for 2007 - after 10 years with

the plan: 100% renewable electricity. 60-

80% of heatings produced with renewables

and 15-20% of transportation supplied

directly by renewables.

Ærø - tradition with REÆrø is an island of 90 km² with a popula-

tion of approx. 7,600 people.

Ærø has traditionally been a RE island in

Denmark, as it has worked with RE since

the early 80s, and covers 56% of its energy

with RE in 2001. Ærø, of course, joined the

competition but did not receive the honour,

and one could have expected that they

would disregard it; but on the contrary: it

seems as if the Government support for

Renewable Energy Islands gave them a

new start, so they continued their work with

even more effort. Ærø is approx. 4 times

as densely populated as Samsø - with

small farms and not much surplus

biomass. On the other hand there is a lot of

wind and solar energy.

The project Ærø - a renewable energy

island - runs from 1998 to 2008. The plan

is to cover the islands energy consumption

80 - 100% with renewable energy.

The plan is:

1)Wind to cover 100% of the electricity

consumption (5- 6 x 2 MW wind turbines

= 40 mio kWh, owned by private

individuals and shareholders)

2)Three district heating plants with some

RE (Solar, straw, wood chips)

3)Neighbourhood heating (Solar - wood

pellets)

4) Increasing amount of biomass (new

hedges, fences energy crops)

5)Energy savings. (Visits to private

WT SAmsø: 3 of the 1 MW wind turbines erected at Tanderup, Samsoe in 2000.

100

households, energy audits)

Status on Ærø:

In 2000 Ærøskøbing District heating was

able to supply its 550 customers with 100

% RE. The last phase of the 4,900 m2 solar

collectors array was opened in May 2000,

and a 950 kW wood pellet boiler was

installed. Together with the existing straw

boiler there is no need generally for for the

use of oil.

Marstal District heat was promised a grant

of Euro 810,400 in order to double the area

of solar collectors to 19,000 m3 and to build

another underground storage tank - this

time a pitstore of 10,000 m3. The consum-

ers have approved the project, and with the

extension the RE share of Marstal District

heating Plant will reach 30%.

In Rise Mark 3,600 m2 solar collectors and

a wood pellet boiler in conjunction with a

4,000 m3 storage tank will supply 100%

renewable energy to St. Rise and Dunkær,

two villages. Rise District heating plant has

now 197 members of which the school and

the old peoples home will be the main

consumers. The procedure with the Danish

Energy Agency took approximately one year

Wind turbines

EEI report is expected in April 2001. The

plan is that 5 - 6 large wind turbines shall

cover 100% of the amount of the electricity

needed. After the EEI report the county of

Funen has to consider the project, and an

additional clause to the regional plan has to

be worked out. However, the county has

given Ærø priority as one of the places

where large wind turbines may be erected

so even if it has taken a long time with the

planning, the wind turbines will probably be

erected.

Summing up: How close are Ærø to cover

80 - 100% of its energy consumption with

RE? The share of RE installations in the

open country covers approx. 21% of the

islands total energy consumption of

115,000 MWh. This coverage will reach

24% when the Rise District Heating Plant

is up and running. With the extension of the

solar field in Marstal RE will cover 27%.

The new wind turbines, which will cover

100 % of the electricity production will

mean that 56 % of the energy consumption

on Ærø comes from renewable energy. At

the moment effect are made to improve

energy efficency in buildings, and thereby it

is expected to add yet another couple of %.

This is the most conservative guess, as

there are probably more individual RE

plants than the ones registered.

Starting newinitiatives andsupporting ongoingactivitiesThese two islands can be

seen as examples of the

different types of contribu-

tion from the Danish

Energy Ministry in order to

support and create RE

islands:

The Samsø case, where a

more or less virgin island

as to renewables gets the

inspiration from a national competition,

encouraging people to commit themselves

to become 100% renewable - (by joint

forces in order to reach the goal) with all

the local contribution and cooperation that

takes.

And Ærø, where governmental policy

supports already ongoing initiatives - and

the support to Ærø has not been decreased

even though Samsø is the official RE island

- neither has the local engagement.

A third island, Læsø, might become more

engaged with renewable energy if self

sufficiency with RE turns out to be a better

solution than a new electricity cable to the

main land.

Information - dissemination

Samsø was chosen as host for the first

European Seminar on Renewable Energy

islands because the island in 1997 was

selected as the Renewable Energy Island in

Denmark: The project will be a showroom

to the many challenges which are facing

the authorities, planners, and not at least

the inhabitants of such comunities. Being

on the doorstep to this project - with

several possible ways to go - Samsø was

the perfect host for this seminar. The

seminar was supported by the Danish

Energy Agency and the EU ALTENER

programme and it was an excellent playfield

for the 80 participants from 14 countries to

get more information about renewable

energy islands and to exchange experience.

Several contacts was established and the

seed was put in the earth for establishment

of networks and further development of

existing contacts and networks between the

islands.

Aero-wvc: Solar panels of the 9,000 m² solar heating plant in

Marstal, Ærø.

101

Renewable energy islands in Europe

The European Union ALTENER project

"Towards 100% Renewable Energy on Small

Islands" terminated in June 2000. Samsø, El

Hierro (Spain), La Maddalena (Italy) and

Aran Islands (Ireland) collaborated on a

series of projects on their respective islands.

Samsø Energy Company was the official co-

ordinator. Samsø participated in this 1½ year

programme with campaign initiatives about

the new district heating areas, the promotion

of single home renewable energy systems,

and for co-operative windmills, both land-

and sea-based. Some time was also

invested in the exchange of experiences and

reciprocal visits to energy project sites on

the islands.

A European Award

At an ALTENER conference in Toulouse in

October, Samsø received an Award as "the

best renewable energy island in Europe in

the year 2000". This energy award is a new

institution in the European Union's efforts to

promote renewable energy in Europe. The

award will be acclaimed biannually.

Samsø Energy Company has participated

in exhibits and trade exhibitions on the

island, in Copenhagen and in Toulouse.

Some of the posters can be seen at the site

www.veo.dk

Samsø is an exhibition window which gives

special responsibilities in receiving guests,

participating in conferences, etc. For

instance "Samsø - a Renewable Energy

Island" participated in the World Exhibition in

Hannover, 2000. About 2.7 million guests

visited the Danish pavilions. There is a great

deal of focus on the project both nationally

and internationally, and this interest is

expected to increase as the specific projects

are realised on the island. In the spring of

2000, Samsø Ecomuseum opened a

Welcome Center where tourists can explore

the cultural history of the island. These

island guests are also introduced to the

energy island project at the center. Thus

Samsø is being visited by many people

every year who wants to see the RE

installations and hear about the plans.

Much attention to Ærø

Much attention has been paid to the

initiatives on Ærø from people outside the

island - also in the last year. Ærø partici-

pates in EU´s Campaign for Take Off and

has in this way been chosen as one of the

100 regions in Europe transferring to RE

before 2010, the socalled Flagship Commu-

nities. In September 2000 Ærø was chosen

as the Solar Town of the Year, in this case

Solar Island 2000 by the Danish Energy

Agency. A considerable amount of people

on Ærø have been most appreciative of this

recognition. The latest prize which once

again put Ærø on the map of the energy

world was when Ærø won 1st prize in

February 2001 at the Energy Globe Award

in Austria.

At Marstal District Heating Plant they have

throughout the years put much energy into

information, among others they were

represented on EXPO 2000. The plants has

had visitors from all over the world. One of

them was His Royal Highness Prince

Henrik, and others were a delegation from

the Conference EuroSun 2000.

As a follow ut to the European seminar, a

Global Conference on Renewable Energy

Islands was held on Ærø, Denmark, in

september 1999. The aim of this global

conference was to bring together relevant

actors from all over the world to exchange

experience, to increase awareness on RE

islands and to establish a platform for future

cooperation and networking. The confer-

ence was very succesfull, and it was

supported by the Danish Energy Agency,

DANIDA and EU commission energy

programmes Synergy and

ALTENER.

How did Denmark

reach this stage

When the oil crisis came to us

in the 70s it was a natural

continuation of old traditions

with renewable energy when an

enormous activity started in all

corners of the country with the

old people delivering gently of

their experience with windmills, wood

furnaces etc. The young ones contributed

with their enthusiasm and newly acquired

knowledge from the educational institutes.

But another very important thing, without

which we would not have been where we

are today, is the government and official

bodies caught the public opinion very soon,

and the policy of supporting the RE

development in different ways has survived

changing governments throughout all the

years. And without this governmental

support carried out as direct subsidies,

research and development programmes,

information and dissemination services,

without this, we would not have come so

far. This dynamic Danish government

policy has been successful because it

supported the diversity of activity. Just as

well as we can say that the wind turbine

industry would probably not have become

anything if the first early entrepreneurs had

not bought the windmills even though the

blades flew away and the investment was

more than doubtful. Just as well we can say

that the wind industry in the entire world

would probably not have become what it is

today, if the Danish Government had not

subsidised the investment in wind turbines

from 1979 to 1989.

Danish energy politics has generally been

based on a large amount of contribution

from the population, as well savings as

investment in RE, so for instance there has

been investment subsidies for wind

turbines, solar energy, heatpumps and

biomass. And private people own more than

80% of all wind turbines.

sni-stort.sol: Participants from the Global RE ISland conference

visit Ærøskøbing Energy Plant, Ærø.

102

The Danish RE development is characterized

by numerous technical universities and other

institutions which have given room for the

development of RE for 25 years - which have

allowed the forward-looking and enthusiastic

engineers to work with this interesting niche

even though it was not the most profitable

niche. Danish Technological institute has

been among the technological leaders within

the areas of biomass, heatpumps and not the

least solar energy. During the last 15 years

the finest goals for the test laboratories here

have been to ensure the performance and

quality of the RE plants as well as in the

production as in the installation phase. At

Solar Energy Centre Denmark the relevant

solar energy partners are joining forces, and

the Energy Centre Denmark carries out

OPET activities (also supported by the

Commission), bringing Danish and EU

policies together. Participation in this

international network has led to invaluable

experience and dissemination.

Another example of governmental

subsidiation of RE is RISØ National

Laboratory. As for the other test stations

and laboratories: Their importance for the

development of wind turbines in Denmark

and thereby for the whole world is recog-

nised all over the world. - And without

governmental subsidy in different forms it

would not have had the same strength.

The Danish results are based on a dynamic

energy policy where governmental bodies

inspire, provoke, listen to, and support a

broad diversity of RE-activity all over the

society, ranging from grassroots, research

and technical institutes, consultants,

manufacturers etc. and vice versa. This

combined with the right people on the right

time and place has after all made a

difference.

Sources, Interwievs:Søren Hermansen, Samsø Energy and environ-

mental office

Ide Seidelin, Renewable Energy Organisation, Ærø.

Reports: Annual report 2000, Samsø Energy Com-

pany.

Final report, Ærø, a renewable energy island,

part 2.

WEB-sites:

www.veo.dk

www.solarmarstal.dk

www.aeroe-varme.dk

Large-scale deployment ofRES on islands

105

IntroductionThe last few years has shown an increased

focus on renewable energy on islands. A

few examples: in 1997, Samsoe was

announced the official Danish Renewable

Energy Island (REI); in 1999, two global

conferences on Renewable Energy Islands

took place respectively in the islands of

Tenerife (Spain) and Aeroe (Denmark); in

1999, the Global Secretariat on Renewable

Energy Islands was established at FED and

in 2000, four Small Island Developing

States (SIDS) - St. Lucia, Dominica,

Vanuatu and Tuvalu - announced their

intentions of becoming renewable energy

nations.

However, among almost islands around the

world the potential for renewable energy is

by far yet tapped. For the majority of islands

expensive and environmentally damaging

fossil fuels are still the only or major energy

sources utilised. One of the major reasons

for the under-exploitation of renewable

energy is lack of knowledge and awareness

on islands among key energy decision-

makers on governmental and utility level and

the public in general. Consequently one of

the objectives of the study Renewable

Energy on Small Islands, is to document that

renewable energy on islands is a feasible

option in regard to technology, economy,

environment and organisation.

Why Small Islands are VeryImportant in a RenewableEnergy PerspectiveOne of the main findings is, first of all, that

islands are evident targets for renewable

energy secondly, they can be marvellous

front-runners and show-cases on a

national, regional and global level for

renewable energy technologies. Why is this

the case?

High Visibility:

Islands are land areas surrounded by water.

This means they are well-defined entities not

only in terms of geography, but also in terms

of energy production, population, economy

and so forth. They can be seen as closed

systems where input, output and outcomes

can be easily controlled and observed. Thus,

islands can become highly visible laborato-

ries for renewable energy technology,

organisation, and financing. REI's provides a

useful way to make future energy-systems

visible and concrete.

Large Scale Demonstration Possible:

A dramatic large-scale shift to renewable

energy on continents/mainlands is unrealistic

in the short and medium term. Both with

regard to technology, financing and organi-

sation. If decision-makers world-wide are to

be inspired to aim at a broader use of

renewable energy as part of sustainable

development, it is necessary to demonstrate

renewable energy in a large-scale, integrated

and organised form, and

situated in a well-defined

area - i.e. a REI. Islands can

cheaper, faster, and easier

reach a higher share of

renewable energy in its

energy balance than a much

bigger mainland. The very

smallness of the islands, so

often viewed, as a disadvan-

tage, is in this context

actually an advantage.

More Positive Attitudes:

Many islands take a sympathetic attitude

to the utilisation of renewable energy also

at the political level. One reason being the

threat from global warming. Even though

islands contribute only negligible to global

emission of greenhouse gasses, many

islands around the world are among the

immediate victims of climate change and

instability caused by fossil fuel consump-

tion in industrialised countries. Islands

thus have a strong interest in changing

energy patterns for instance by demon-

strating new sustainable ways of satisfying

energy needs. Another reason for the

more positive attitude found on islands is

the near total absence of fossil fuel

Unique World-wide Overview ofRenewable Energy on Small Islands

A world-wide overview of renewable energy utilisation on small islandswas published in August 2000 by the Danish non-governmental organi-sation Forum for Energy and Development (FED). The study showsthat islands are evident targets for renewable energy. Below Mr. Tho-mas Lynge Jensen, Global Secretariat for Renewable Energy Islandslocated at FED, presents major findings from this study

Forum for Energy and Development (FED)Blegdamsvej 4B, 1st Floor2200 Copenhagen N

DENMARKTel: +45 35 257700 - Fax: +45 35 247717

E-mail: [email protected]

Co

nta

ct

106

resources. In many mainland countries,

developing as well as industrialised, one

major barrier for promotion of renewable

energy resources is the presence of an

economic and political elite that has very

strong interests in the utilisation of fossil

fuels either for export or domestic pur-

poses. Most islands' main resources are

the oceans, the population and geography

(tourism). Next to none have fossil fuel

resources.

Competitive Advantage:

Most small islands around the world today

are dependent on imported fossil fuels for

their energy needs, especially for transport

and electricity production. Because of the

small size and isolated location of many

islands, infrastructure costs such as energy

are up till three to four times higher than on

the mainland. The high price for fossil fuels

combined with the limited demand in-

creases the unit cost of production for

conventional power production. This

creates a competitive situation for renew-

able energy technologies on islands.

Furthermore, most of the islands are

endowed with good renewable resources,

primarily sun and the wind.

Experiences Applied

in non-island Areas:

Experiences gathered on islands can be

used, not only on islands, but in principle

everywhere. REI's can serve as demon-

stration projects for mainland local

communities, not only in developed

countries, but also in developing countries.

There are about 2.5 billion people living

outside a national grid in developing

countries. These people also need

electricity services and experiences from

REI's are highly relevant in this context.

Furthermore, through concentrated efforts

some small island states can serve as

demonstration nations. Despite their size

small island states could set an example to

the world's nations.

Islands with high Utilisationof Renewable Energy SourcesThe study shows that there are today

islands that have utilised modern renewable

energy technologies - also on a large-scale.

The following can be concluded regarding

the islands in the overview.

a) Around the world a few islands have

already decided to become Renewable

Energy Islands (REI) in the short or

medium term. An REI is an island that is

100% supplied from renewable energy

sources.

Samsoe (Denmark), Pellworm (Ger-

many), Aeroe (Denmark), Gotland

(Sweden), El Hierro (Spain), Dominica

and St. Lucia have an explicit target of

becoming 100% self-sufficient from

renewable energy sources.

b)Around the world a few islands have

already some of the characteristics of a

Renewable Energy Island (REI).

La Desirade (France), Fiji, Samsoe,

Pellworm and Reunion (France) are

currently producing more than 50% of

their electricity from renewable energy

sources. Please be referred to table 1 for

detailed information about these and

other islands with a very high utilisation

of renewable energy for electricity

production. 21% of the islands in the

overview that utilise renewables for

electricity generation produce between

25-50% of their electricity from renew-

able energy sources. Nearly 70% of the

islands in the overview that utilise

renewables for electricity generation

produce between 0.7-25% of their

electricity from renewable energy

sources. A few islands are using solar

water heaters on a very large scale

(Barbados and Cyprus).

c) Islands with very big utilisation of

renewable energy for electricity produc-

tion are mainly utilising hydropower.

In the overview more than 50% of the

islands with more than 25% of the

electricity generated from renewable

energy resource are utilising hydropower.

Of the islands producing more than 25%

of electricity from wind power all (but

one) are connected by sea cable to

another electricity grid.

d) Wind power is by far the most utilised

renewable energy resource in electricity

production.

Over 50% of the islands in the overview

that have utilised renewables for

electricity generation have used wind

power. Over 25% and nearly 10% of the

islands in the overview utilising

renewables for electricity generation use

hydropower and biomass respectively.

e) Most islands are situated in the North

Atlantic Ocean.

Just over 40% of the islands in the

overview using renewables are situated

in the North Atlantic Ocean. Around 12-

14% of the islands in the overview using

107

Table 1: Renewable Energy Share of Electricity Production for some of the Investigated Islands

Island

La Desirade

(Guadeloupe, France)

Fiji

Samsoe (Denmark)

Pellworm (Germany)

Reunion (France)

Dominica

Flores Island (Azores,

Portugal)

Samoa

Sao Miguel Island

(Azores, Portugal)

Faeroe Islands (Denmark)

St. Vincent and the

Grenadines

Marie Galante Island

(Guadeloupe, France)

Corsica (France)

Miquelon (St. Pierre and

Miquelon, France)

Total Percentage

of Electricity

Production from

Renewable

Energy Sources

100%

79.6%

75% 2

65.93%

56.1%

48%

42.6%

38.5%

37.6%

35.1%

32.8%

30%

30%

30% 3

Percentage of

Electricity

Production by

Type of Renewable

Energy Source

Wind: 100%

Hydro: 79.6%

Wind: 75%

Wind: 64.96%

PV: 0.97%

Hydro: 39.6%

Bagasse: 16.5%

Hydro: 48%

Hydro: 42.6%

Hydro: 38.5%

Geothermal: 30.6%

Hydro: 7%

Hydro: 34.9%

Wind: 0.2%

Hydro: 32.8%

Wind: 30%

Hydro: 30%

Wind: 30%

Year

1998

1997

2000

1998

1998

1998

1999

1997

1999

1999

1997

1998

1999

2000

Renewable Energy Goal/

Plan/Strategy

There is a renewable energy plan for the

Guadeloupe archipelago - 25% of the electricity

consumption from renewable energy in 2002

There is a national energy/renewable energy policy

100% of energy consumption from renewable

energy sources by 2008

100% of energy consumption from renewable

energy sources

100% of energy consumption from renewable

energy sources in 2015. A national energy policy

does not exist today

Samoa does not have a comprehensive energy policy

There is no energy plan for the Faeroe Islands

The is no national energy policy

There is a renewable energy plan for the

Guadeloupe archipelago - 25% of the electricity

consumption from renewable energy in 2002

50% of electricity consumption from renewables by

2003

1 A blank cell means that information is not available. 2 Estimation from July 2000 and onwards. 3 Estimation.

renewables are situated in the North Pacific

Ocean, South Pacific Ocean and

Caribbean Sea respectively.

f) By far the majority of islands are non-

sovereign.

Nearly 75% of the islands in the

overview that have utilised renewables

are connected formally to a country from

the developed world.

Only 25% of the islands in the overview that

have utilised renewables are politically

independent islands - they are all develop-

ing countries.

Report Available on the Internet,

by e-mail and in Print

The report can be downloaded for free in

PDF-format on the Internet at the

homepage of FED:

http://www.energiudvikling.dk/

publikation.php3

or forwarded by e-mail (as an PDF-

attachment) or in print by request to FED

on the following address:

Forum for Energy and Development (FED)

Blegdamsvej 4B, 1st Floor

2200 Copenhagen N. Denmark

Tel: +45 35 25 77 00 - Fax: +45 35 24 77 17

E-mail: [email protected]

108

Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII)

Where Island 2010 aims to develop and promote 100% renewable energy initiatives on islands in the European Union, the Global

Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII) focuses on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) world-wide.

The Initiative is made by a consortium consisting of Forum for Energy and Development (FED) and the four other international non-

governmental organisations Counterpart International, Climate Institute, Winrock International and the Organization of American States.

The GSEII has been organised to support the interests of all SIDS and potential donors by bringing renewable energy and energy

efficiency projects, models, and concepts together in a sustainable plan for SIDS. The GSEII seeks to display national efforts to signifi-

cantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Global Objectives

• To develop SIDS as sustainable energy nations.

• To establish donor support and private sector investment for this sustainable development.

• To increase awareness of experiences, potential, and advantages of renewable energy utilisation and energy efficiency on SIDS and

other island nations.

Regional and Island Nation Objectives

The Caribbean:

• To develop St. Lucia into a sustainable energy nation, thereby fulfilling its commitment made at COP5.

• To further develop sustainable energy plans for one or more Caribbean SIDS to become sustainable energy nations.

• To develop regional energy efficiency and renewable energy private business activities, including solar thermal, photovoltaics, biomass,

and wind turbines.

• To establish funding schemes for large-scale dissemination of sustainable energy.

The Pacific Region:

• To develop wind energy activities on Niue and one more island nation as regional door-opener projects.

• To develop sustainable energy plans for one or more SIDS to become sustainable energy nations.

• To develop regional energy efficiency and renewable energy private business activities, including solar thermal, photovoltaics, biomass,

and off-gird wind turbines.

• To establish funding schemes for large-scale dissemination of sustainable energy.

The Indian Ocean:

• To develop a sustainable energy plan for one SIDS to become a sustainable energy nation.

109

IntroductionCrete is the fourth largest island in the

Mediterranean, with a population marked in

recent years by a net increasing trend and

economic growth rates double the national

average.

The existing autonomous electrical system

faces a chronic problem caused by the high

rates of increase in electricity demand and the

reluctance of the population to accept the

installation of new thermal power stations.

Innovative solutions are needed, which should

provide both a sustainable development and a

high standard of living. The use of RES can

become the basis of a new alternative energy

policy for the island RES harvesting and the

use of appropriate commercially available

technologies can have multiple direct and

indirect impacts on the local development, the

employment, the environment and the

transfer of know-how for local production.

The objective of this work was to analyse

the perspectives of RES in Crete. The

defined Implementation Plan for the period

1998-2010 is focused on the exploitation of

RES for electricity production since the

major problem of Crete's energy system is

the inability of the existing electrical system

to meet the increasing demand.

In formulating the Implementation Plan, a

detailed analysis of the energy system of

Crete, carried out within past studies2, is

considered. A general description of Crete's

electrical system and a forecast of the

island's electricity demand was carried out1.

An implementation planfor res in creteObjectives and constraints

The Implementation Plan was formulated on

the basis of the available RES potential, the

technical constraints for the RES penetra-

tion and the existing legislative framework.

Thus, the Implementation Plan provides the

framework for the potential "optimum"

development of RES in Crete taking into

consideration the investors interest.

Formulating a scenario for the maximum

possible penetration of RES into the

electrical system of Crete, the assumption

that RES will be used to cover 100% of the

new - after 1998 - electricity demand was

considered. The objectives of the Imple-

mentation Plan are:

a to cover the additional electricity demand

in a sustainable way,

b to cover the maximum average net hourly

production,

c to provide the electrical system with an

adequate safety margin,

d to require the minimum interventions to

the existing grid, and

e to use the most mature and cost-

effective RES technologies

Technical and financial constraints, as well

as operational and management problems,

which could have an effect on the Imple-

mentation Plan are also considered:

Technical constraints:

• Wind farms, photovoltaic and solar thermal

systems can not reliably cover maximum

loads due to their intermittent operation.

• Although large Pumped-Storage systems

can store wind and solar energy, such

systems should not be expected to

operate before 2005 due to technical

difficulties.

• Although RES technologies proposed in

this report are mature enough, technical

risks still exist.

Operational and management constraints

• Harvesting of agricultural by-products for

bio-electricity production could face

several difficulties as it has not been

tested before in Greece.

• Compatibility of RES plants with the

existing electricity grid could postpone

their exploitation.

Financial constraints

• The significant existing grant policy as far

as RES exploitation is concerned (40%

on the total investment cost), is unlikely

to continue indefinitely due to limited

budgets.

ArArArArArthourthourthourthourthouros Zervos, Georos Zervos, Georos Zervos, Georos Zervos, Georos Zervos, George Caralisge Caralisge Caralisge Caralisge CaralisNTUA - National Technical University of AthensRENES - Renewable Energy Sources Unit

9, Heroon Polytechniou str.Zografou-Athens GR-15780. GREECE

Tel.: +30 1 7723272 / Fax: +30 1 7721738E-mail: [email protected]

Nikolaos ZografakisNikolaos ZografakisNikolaos ZografakisNikolaos ZografakisNikolaos ZografakisRegional Energy Agency of CreteKountourioti Sq. Heraklion - Crete GR-71202

GREECE

Implementation Plan for the LargeScale Deployment of RenewableEnergySources in Crete-Greece

Co

nta

ct

The perspectives of RES in Crete are analysed and an ImplementationPlan for their exploitation for the period 1998-2010 is defined. The planis focused on the exploitation of RES for electricity production. Therationale used in the formulation of the Implementation Plan and theproposed actions are detailed. The impacts of RES integration into theelectrical system are considered. Finally, a special emphasis is givento the definition of the necessary investment costs for the realisationof the plan and the related socio-economic and environmental ben-efits.

110

Presentation of the plan

There are two general groups of actions

differentiated by both the time that can be

applied and by their significance. Short-

term actions refer to the period 1998-2005

and medium-term actions to the period

2005-2010 (see table I). The plan promotes

electricity production by exploiting several

RES technologies (Wind farms, Biomass,

Small Hydroelectric Units, Photovoltaic

installations, Pumped Storage Units) at a

maximum possible penetration rate in order

to cover the increase of electricity demand.

Moreover, it suggests additional actions

aiming at electricity savings (solar hot-

water systems, replacement of incandes-

cent bulbs, passive and hybrid systems for

cooling, time-zone pricing system etc.).

Contribution to the energy supply

The contribution of various sources to the

electricity supply for the years 2000, 2005

and 2010 are presented in Figure 1. The

contribution of the conventional fuels (diesel

and fuel oil) decreases from almost 100% in

1997 to 81% in 2000, to 61% in 2005 and to

55% in 2010. The total renewable electricity

production will reach 19% of the total in

2000, 39% in 2005 and 45% in 2010. The

annual electricity demand increases from

1078 GWh in 1990, to 1815 GWh in 2000,

2484 in 2005 and 2700 GWh in 2010.

Energy savings due to additional Solar Hot

Water Systems utilisation are considered

(52.5 GWh in 2000, 218 GWh in 2005 and

300 GWh in 2010).

Location of Sites

The exact location of the RES plants is

crucial both from the economic and the

technical point of view. The selection of

suitable locations was made via a general

methodology of resource assessments

supported by a GIS program. In general, site

selection is the output of the implementation

of several considerations and restrictions

over the region under examination:

• RES potential (wind speed, biomass

potential, streams, etc.).

• The topography of the region (altitudes,

terrain slopes, etc.).

• Subregions dedicated to special activities

(archaeological sites, airports, urban

districts, etc.).

• Difficulty of access and energy transpor-

tation.

• Balanced distribution of the plants (leads

to a stable electrical system, reduces

electrical losses, leads to balanced local

development)

• Existing electrical grid

• Environmental impacts

Figure 2 presents the proposed sites for all

the plants.

Economic evaluation of theimplementation planThe economic evaluation of the proposed

RES investments has been carried out and

the implementation plan as a whole during

the period 1998-2010 has been evaluated.

The basic output of this analysis is the Net

Present Value (NPV) and the Internal Rate

of Return (IRR) of the total investment.

The RES installations expected during the

period 1998-2010 and data used, are

presented in Table 2.

The financial parameters required for the

economic analysis have been set, accord-

ing to the law 2601/98 and the require-

ments of the Operational Program for

Energy (OPE) of the Ministry of Develop-

ment, as follows:

• Grants: 40% of the total investment (in

case of SHWS the grants are assumed

the 15% of the total investment),

• Own capital: 60% of the total investment,

• Exchange rate: 350 drachmas/EURO,

• Price of the electricity sold to PPC:

0.0714 EURO/kWh

Considering the above parameters, a

discount rate of 8% and a 15 years lifetime,

the indexes Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

and Net Present Value (NPV) of the

Wind Biomass Hydro PSU PV SHWS(MW) (MW) (MW) (MW) (MW) 1000m2

1998 17.3 - 0.6 - 0.07 25

1999 55.45 - 0.6 - 0.1 50

2000 89.3 20 0.6 - 0.2 87.5

2001 115.2 20 1.01 - 0.3 125

2002 124.8 20 1.56 - 0.8 175

2003 134.8 40 2.15 - 1.4 225

2004 140.5 40 3.99 - 1.7 287.5

2005 200 40 6 125 2 362.5

2010 250 60 6 125 4 500

Table I. Time schedule of RES installations in Crete

4000

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0

Pumped Storage Unit

Photovoltaic

Small Hydro Units

Biomass Units

Wind Farms

Conventional Units

Gw

h

1997 2000 2005 2010

Figure 1.Contribution of various sources to electricity supply (year 2000, 2005 and 2010).

111

Implementation Plan of RES in Crete for the

period 1998-2010 are:

NPV=289 MEURO

IRR=17.6%

SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND

ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION

Methodology

RES investments create new jobs and local

income and have benign environmental

effects. In this chapter the socio-economic

and environmental aspects of the Implemen-

tation plan are presented. The methodology

adopted for the assessment of the relative

impacts is mainly based on the existing

assessment tools and methodologies3, 4.

In addition, actual data about RES projects

that have been launched in Crete have

been collected, analyzed and used to adapt

the above-mentioned theoretical input to the

specific aspects of the Implementation

Plan. The tool was applied to the different

sectors of the Implementation Plan and to

the Plan as a whole, assessing the socio-

economic and environmental impacts of

RES development in Crete.

The methodology that supports the

Assessment Tool estimates the effects of

RES projects on the economic

development of the region,

regional employment and the

environment. The present

analysis examines the impacts

that only affect the region of

Crete.

Comparison of RE

technologies

operation, the creation of regional perma-

nent jobs is important for combating

unemployment.

Evaluation of the Implementation Plan

In the diagrams 1 and 2 the detailed

application of the aforementioned methodol-

ogy is presented for the short-term actions

(period 1998-2010).

In Diagram 1 the employment effects of the

Implementation Plan during manufacturing,

installation and operation are presented.

In Diagram 2 the assessment of the Socio-

Economic evaluation of the Implementation

Plan is presented.

With regard to the socio-economic

evaluation of the implementation plan we

can note:

Figure 2. Existing and future electricity production units and the electrical grid of Crete.

Actions Installed Energy Produced Investment Maintenance and operation

(1998-2010) Capacity or saved (GWh) cost (MEURO) cost (MEURO /year)

Wind Farms 250 MW 625 280 5.7

Biomass 60 MW 355 95.5 13.3

Small Hydro 6 MW 26 8.42 0.092

PSU 125 MW 212 157 2.4

PV 4 MW 5.5 27.2 0.14

SHWS 500,000 m2 300 171.6 1.7

TOTAL 1,524 GWh 740 MEURO 23.3 MEURO/ year

Table 2. Data used for the RES economic analysis - period 1998-2010.

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0Net incomesdistributed

Cost of avoidedfuel

Public inflows Regionalbenefit

WindFarms

Biomass

SmallHydro

PSU

PV

Solar HotWater

EURO perkEURO

invested

Figure 3.Regional benefit created by 1 kEURO investment of

various RE technologies.

Figure 4. Employment effects in the region created

by 1 kEURO investment of various RE technologies

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.5

1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0Employment

during operationEmployment duringmanufacturing and

installation

TotalEmployment

Wind Farms Biomass Small Hydro PSU PV Solar Hot Water

PermanentJobs perkEUROinvested

Man-years perkEUROinvested

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Considering the various RE technologies to

be used, indicators that quantify the socio-

economic and environmental impacts have

been calculated. The indices are then used

for the evaluation of the Implementation

Plan, considering in parallel the technical

aspects that the large-scale development of

RES entails.

In Figure 3 the Regional Benefit created by

the various technologies is compared. The

indexes are reduced per unit cost of

investment. Figure 4 shows the employ-

ment effects due to RES investments. For

most of the RES employment effects during

manufacturing phase are limited. An

exemption exists in the case of SHWS, as

local industry employs local people. During

112

Diagram 1. Calculation of employment effects of the Implementation Plan - Period 1998-2005

Diagram 2 Socio-Economic evaluation of the Implementation Plan - Period 1998-2005

• The implementation plan during 1998-

2010 requires an investment of 740

MEURO and a total subsidy of 253

MEURO. On the other hand it creates

511 MEURO Regional Added Value and

returns a Regional Benefit of 1226

MEURO (Total net income distributed in

the region is 107 MEURO, the cost of

avoided fuel is 872 MEURO and the

public inflows are 247 MEURO). The

Regional Internal rate of return is 18%

and the pay back period of the subsidy to

the public receipts is 11.6 years.

• 315 new permanent jobs will be created

due to the operation of the plan in the

region. The total employment during the

manufacturing, installation and operation

phase is 8467 man-years.

• Significant fuel substitution is expected

due to the Implementation Plan and

pollution is avoided. The avoided CO2

emission is 976,000 tn per year 2005

and 1,238,000 tn per year 2010.

ConclusionsThe proposed Implementation Plan is

realistic, feasible and economically viable. It

takes into consideration all the technical,

social and legislative issues. It is in

accordance with the priorities of the EC

White Paper for RES and the targets of

CO2 emissions reduction. Thanks to the

implementation plan the installed electrical

capacity in Crete will be increased in an

economic, ecological and socially accepted

way. The implementation plan:

• may partly cancel or delay future

installations of conventional units. The

construction of new thermal plants in

Crete to fully cover future demand raises

significant objections due to public

opinion reactions and environmental

impacts,

• covers the maximum average net hourly

production, provides the electrical system

with an adequate safety margin, and

uses the most mature and cost-effective

RES technologies,

• improves the operation of the electrical

system of Crete, minimizing the transmis-

sion losses due to their local character.

With the realisation of the Implementation

Plan the contribution of RES will reach

39.4% of the total annual electricity demand

of the island by 2005 and 45.4% by 2010.

In addition hot water solar heater utilisation

will contribute to reduce the electricity

demand by 218 GWh (approximately 10%)

by 2005 and 300 GWh by 2010.

With regard to the socio-economic evalua-

tion of the implementation plan we can note:

• the Implementation Plan as a whole is a

quite attractive investment,

• the mean cost of RES electricity

production is less than the mean cost of

conventional units' electricity production,

• the implementation plan creates signifi-

cant economic regional benefit, local

employment and considerable amounts

of CO2 emissions reduction.

• The island of Crete may and should

constitute a preferential area for the

extensive deployment of RES. It could

become a pilot region in the Mediterra-

nean and one of the first "100 Communi-

ties" to realise the goals and objectives of

the EC White Paper. The results and the

experience gained should be dissemi-

nated to other Regions. The methodology

of the socio-economic evaluation of RES

in Crete, can also be used in other

regions to support their energy policy.

References1 NTUA (GR), "Implementation Plan for the Large Scale De-

ployment of Renewable Energy Sources in Crete-Greece",

Final Report, Altener project XVII/4.1030/Z/96-0139, Novem-

ber 1998.

2 NTUA (GR), "Developing Decision Support Tools for the utili-

zation of Renewables Energies in Integrated Systems at the

local level (DRILL)", Final Report, Joule project JOU2-CT92-

0190, March 1996.

3 FEDARENE, "Evaluation Guide for Renewable Energy

Projects in Europe (ELVIRE)", ALTENER publication.

4 EEE and ENCO, "Methodology for the assessment of em-

ployment benefits and local economic effects of a RES in-

stallation", EXTERNE, Vol.6, European Commission, 1995.

Direct Employment

Employment duringManufacturing and

Installation: 3736 man-years

Direct Employment226 permanent jobs

Turnovers of LocalFirms: 49.8 MEURO

Indirect Employment

Manufacturing and Installation Phase○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Spin-off Effects: 73permanent jobs

Turnovers of LocalFirms: 823 kEURO

Phase of Operation

Indirect Employment16 permanent jobs

Employmentduring

Operation: 315permanent jobs

Total Employment: 8467 man-years

Total Subsidies: 253 MEURO Total Investment Cost:740 MEURO

Non-renewable energy avoided:1,640 GWh/year in 2010

Total R.A.V.: 511 MEURO

ConsumersNet Incomes:25,4 MEURO

Public Inflows:247 MEURO

V.A.T. 18%Cost of avoided

conventional fuelfor the whole

lifetime:872 MEURO

CO2

reduction:1238 103

tn/ yearin 2010

Total Employment: 8,467 man-years

Net Incomes Distributed inthe region: 107 MEURO Regional Benefit: 1226 MEURO

Regional Internal Rate of Return: 18%

113

JL. Bal (Ademe) - M. BenarJL. Bal (Ademe) - M. BenarJL. Bal (Ademe) - M. BenarJL. Bal (Ademe) - M. BenarJL. Bal (Ademe) - M. Benard (EDF) -d (EDF) -d (EDF) -d (EDF) -d (EDF) -M. LM. LM. LM. LM. Le Nir (CFG) - B. Re Nir (CFG) - B. Re Nir (CFG) - B. Re Nir (CFG) - B. Re Nir (CFG) - B. Roberoberoberoberobert (CDF)t (CDF)t (CDF)t (CDF)t (CDF)ADEME - Agence de l'environnement et de la

Maîtrise de l'énergie27, Rue Louis Vicat. FR-75015 Paris. FRANCETel.:+33 1 47652331 / Fax:+33 1 46455236

E-mail: [email protected]