SEAPs for Islands - Cyclades, Greece and Madeira, Portugal

Author: Katy HALL, ENNEREG Communications Officer, CPL Scientific Publishing Services Ltd, United Kingdom - Email / Elena TAXERI, CRES, Greece - Email

Cyclades, Greece

The region selected to be studied in the framework of ENNEREG project in Greece, is Cyclades. It comprises of a group of approximate 220 islands of which 24 are inhabited; these Greek Islands are one of the most famous tourist destinations in Europe. Apart from tourism, industries include in traditional agriculture, fishery, mining and ship construction. 

The wind and geothermal potential of the region is very high but there are restrictions on large scale wind installations. Solar irradiation is also very high (horizontal from 1900 kWh/m² up to minimum 1600 kWh/m²). In most of the islands, electricity is produced by conventional oil stations with high maintenance costs. One of the most important problems is the water shortage that the islands are facing, not only because of climate change but also due to non-rational use of the water resources.

Image: Desalinated water Unit, Cyclades © G. Makryonitis

In the framework of ENNEREG, CRES co-operates with DAFNI in the development of a strategic action plan for the Cyclades Region. The aim of the strategic action plan is to identify actions that should be implemented at Regional level in order to support the implementation of the detailed islands’ action plans. This will include for example proposals on the management of the National Strategic Reference Framework funds that are allocated to the South Aegean Region, so that the implementation of sustainable energy projects is assisted. An example could be setting priorities for the forthcoming calls so that co-financing is available for the implementation of the investments foreseen in the islands’ action plans or setting up of a regional development fund (e.g. JESSICA) etc. The example of Cyclades, where a regional sustainable energy action plan (SEAP) will support the implementation of investments foreseen in the local action plans of the islands, will demonstrate how complementary actions can provide concerted and easy-to-duplicate results to island local authorities.

Image: PV in public lighting, Cyclades © G. Makryonitis

ENNEREG will bring important benefits for the Cyclades region. As mentioned in a recent decision of the Regional Council “the key for the successful contribution of the islands of South Aegean in the global efforts against climate change is the sustainable energy planning; this should include development of a baseline emission inventory, identification of the energy potential, investigation of the adequate technologies, identification of social and environmental concerns, study of physical planning options, proposals for overcoming legislative constraints and examination of the available options for financing the investments”.

ENNEREG supports also the replication of Sustainable Energy Projects (SEPs) in the ENNEREG twinning region Dodecanese through the cooperation with the South Aegean Region. See the initiatives of the Region at www.cres.gr/ennereg [EL - Greek].

Find at more about Sustainable Energy in the Cyclades »

ISLE-PACT - Sustainable Energy Action Plans in support of the Islands Pact

Another project in the wider region in which DAFNI network is involved is ISLE-PACT. It is a 3-year project committed to developing Local Sustainable Energy Action Plans with the aim of meeting or exceeding the EU sustainability objectives set by the EU for 2020 and reducing the CO₂ emissions by at least 20%. The political engagement of a Local Authority is demonstrated by signing “The Pact of Islands”, a document that specifies the individual commitments that are to be made by European island authorities in order to achieve the EU sustainability objectives set for the year 2020. Within ISLE-PACT, DAFNI supports the Aegean islands signatories to develop islands sustainable energy action plans with the view to contribute to the 20-20-20 EU target.

Innovative technologies for buildings. The role of Municipalities

CRES is organizing a conference “Innovative technologies for buildings. The role of Municipalities”, on 2nd of March, in Athens. The event is addressed to the Municipalities, (mayors, engineers, etc) all over Greece and is supported by the Central Union of Municipalities in Greece. The programme will include presentations of relative European projects in which CRES is involved (10Action, ENNEREG, etc), the initiative of the Covenant of Mayors, best practices, state of art RES&EE technologies and financing issues. For further information, please consult www.cres.gr/ennereg  and/or contact Ms Minadaki -  minadaki@cres.gr.

---

Madeira, Portugal

Madeira’s participation in the ENNEREG project, coordinated by AREAM - Agência Regional da Energia e Ambiente da Região Autónoma da Madeira and IDMEC–IST - Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica, Pólo IST, is motivated by its potential contribution to the European 20-20-20 targets for 2020: a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 20%; an increase of 20% in energy efficiency, and a 20% participation of renewable energy in the global energy consumption.

Through the actions of the ENNEREG project, Madeira aims to promote at local and regional levels, two important European initiatives:

• the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) (www.eumayors.eu) and
• the Isle Pact Project,

which will produce two Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) for Madeira and Porto Santo Islands, with the common aim of the 202020 target.

Promoting Sustainable Energy Projects (SEP) with key stakeholders, exchange of experiences between different European regions and replication of good practices are other reasons to motivate Madeira's participation.

Find at more about Sustainable Energy in Madeira »

Sustainable Regions Workshop

The purpose of this workshop, which takes place in English and Portuguese on 13 March 2012 in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, is to present the ENNEREG project, and the other Sustainable Energy Communities projects with Portuguese partners, discuss the role of the various municipal and regional authorities in this theme, presenting SEAP and SEPs that are already underway in municipalities of Portugal, and finally, discuss the different ways that exist for financing such projects.

Further information »