1. Islands in Greece and across the EU pioneering the energy transition
Innovative technologies and regulatory schemes accelerating islands’ decarbonisation
Islands in Greece and across the EU pioneering the energy transition
6 June 2018 | Alkisti Florou, DAFNI Network

2. Welcome! Today’s event will…
Provide an overview of EU islands’ collaboration to accelerate Europe’s decarbonisation
Analyse regulatory frameworks in three island regions (Greek, Spanish, ORs)
Showcase lighthouse projects from frontrunner islands in the respective regions
Get perspective of key players, i.e. electricity sector and island regions
Present the scope of work of the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative

4. Network of island local and regional authorities
Non profit organization
40 municipalities; 3 regions
Promotes sustainable development in Greek islands through integrated solutions in key infrastructures (energy, water, transport, waste)
Founding member of the Pact of Islands initiative promoting sustainability in European islands through local energy planning
Coordinator of the Smart Islands Initiative promoting islands as ideas test-beds for integrated natural resource and infrastructure management

5. European islands’ collaboration
2011
2013
2016

6. The Smart Islands Initiative is a bottom-up effort of European island authorities and communities which seeks to communicate the significant potential of islands to function as laboratories for technological, social, environmental, economic and political innovation.
Island Quadruple Helix Ecosystems A collaborative process of setting the Smart Islands Initiative into motion

8. The Smart Islands Declaration signing ceremony
28 March 2017
The Smart Islands Declaration signing ceremony
12 MEPs hosted in the European Parliament
33 Local and Regional island authorities
from
15 Member States signing
on behalf of more than 200 EU islands

9. Synergies between Initiatives

10. Decarbonisation on EU islands
It is not a question of technology
Access to funding/financing can be secured
Social barriers can be addressed
Regulation however emerges as the most prominent catalyzer of islands’ decarbonisation enabling the deployment of the right mix of technologies that are tailored to islands’ varying:
Interconnection status
Market status (bundled/unbundled)
Investment priorities
RES availability
Economic activities

11. The Greek islands case
Approximately 90 inhabited islands with at least 20 inhabitants
In total circa 1.5 mil. Islanders
Around 10% of Greece’s population

12. Interconnected Islands
Ionian islands
North Sporades
Argosaronic islands
Kea – Andros – Tinos
Thasos
Samothrace

13. 32 Non-Interconnected Island Electrical Systems
(2) Large Electrical Systems Average Peak Demand > 100MW
Crete
Rhodes
(12) Medium Electrical Systems 5MW < Average Peak Demand ≤ 100MW
Paros-Naxos
Chios
Mykonos
Samos
Syros
Limnos
Milos
Ikaria
Thira
Karpathos
Kos-kalymnos
Lesvos

14. 32 Non-Interconnected Island Electrical Systems
(18) Small Electrical Systems Average Peak Demand ≤ 5 MW
Ag. Efstratios
Agathonisi
Amorgos
Anafi
Antikythira
Arkioi
Astypalaia
Gavdos
Donousa
Ereikousa
Kythnos
Megisti
Patmos
Othonoi
Serifos
Sifnos
Skyros
Symi

15. 32 Non-Interconnected Island Electrical Systems
35 Thermal power plants (fuel oil / diesel) – (Installed Capacity = MW)
5328 RES power stations – (Installed Capacity = MW)
97 Wind stations – (Installed Capacity = MW)
1758 PV stations on land – (Installed Capacity = MW)
3252 PV stations on roofs – (Installed Capacity = MW)
219 PV stations Net-metering (Installed Capacity = 2.65 MW)
1 small hydroelectric in Crete (Installed Capacity = 0.3 MW)
1 biomass unit in Crete (Installed Capacity = 0.5 MW)
17.6% annual RES penetration in the energy balance of the Non-interconnected islands in 2017

16. New Interconnections Interconnection of Cyclades (420 mil. €)
Stage A, in operation since 2017
Attica to Syros (AC 200 MVA)
Syros to Paros (AC 140 MVA)
Syros to Mykonos (AC 140 MVA)
Stage B, expected in 2018
Paros to Naxos (AC 140 MVA)
Naxos to Mykonos (AC 140 MVA)
Upgrading Andros - Evia
Stage C, expected in 2022
2nd cable Attica to Syros (2x AC 200 MVA)
Interconnection of Crete
Stage A, expected in 2020 (320 mil. €)
Crete - Peloponnese, AC 150kV, 2×200MVA
Stage B, expected in 2023 (710 mil. €)
Crete-Attica, DC 2×350MVA

17. Public Service Obligation (PSO) Charges
TOTAL COST [€/MWh]
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2014
2015
2016
AGATHONISI
686
980
713
AMORGOS
392
397
330
ANTIKYTHIRA
1,274
1,276
1,417
ARKIOI
662
861
791
ERIKOUSA
853
762
663
SANTORINI
240
223
166
CRETE
214
182
160
KYTHNOS
447
409
346
LESVOS
175
151
128
RHODES
226
190
CHIOS
179
157
135
Total PSO charges
2014 – 672 mil. €
2015 – 602 mil. €
2016 – 483 mil. €
2017 – 605 mil. €
Paros – Naxos – Mykonos interconnection
10% of total PSO saved
Crete interconnection
52% of total PSO saved

18. Electricity market in the Greek NII systems
HEDNO is the DSO and market operator of the NII systems (PPC unbundling)
PPC is the only thermal power plant producer covering the base load production
Code for the operation of NII in place since 2014
All islands are open to retail competition since 1st January Customers to alternative suppliers: 14% in Crete / 6% in Rhodes
RES production is often significantly curtailed because of technical constraints
Spinning reserves to provide voltage and frequency stability are of significant importance for NII
Limited margins for stand-alone RES stations in the NII
Higher RES penetration requires the coupling with storage units
Hybrid power station regulatory framework in place awaiting single tariff compensation scheme – 154 applications (711 MW)

19. Islands with high RES penetration – Requirements
For achieving significantly higher RES penetration levels, the following are required:
Installation of Energy Control Centres to allow the effective management of generation and storage and support multiplayer markets
Implementation of storage to alleviate congestion, facilitate RES penetration and allow peak shaving and shifting
Deployment of dispatchable RES stations, such as biomass-biogas, geothermal and solar thermal power plants to substitute base load
Demand side management of flexible loads taking into account seasonality
Sector coupling among electricity, transport (EVs), water and waste infrastructure

20. Islands with high RES penetration – Pilots
TILOS project: Small Hybrid station (Wind Turbine, PV and battery storage) in the island of Tilos to reduce the dependence of the island on the submarine cable
Ikaria hybrid power station: Consisting of 1.05 MW small hydro, 3MW pumped storage and 2.7MW wind farm (Almost completed)
Green Island: Demonstration of different wind-PV-battery hybrid power stations combined with district heating network on the island of Agios Efstratios
Kythnos Smart Island: Integrated sector-coupling projects in electricity, transport, waster and waste on the island of Kythnos
Smart Islands: 2-3 pilot projects with RES and Battery Storage to be tendered in by RAE in order to demonstrate RES penetration levels up to 60-70%
Law 4495/2017 has set the legislative framework to enable the deployment and operation of the pilot project

21. Regulatory framework to enable island’s energy transition
Special regulatory framework (e.g. derogation) regarding electricity market obligations for small NII systems to allow the implementation of sector-coupled integrated solutions
Special provisions for the deployment of EV charging infrastructures coupled with RES
DSO storage units to permit the reduction of RES curtailment with economies of scale and combination with ancillary services
Special provisions for prerequisite social-inclusive, citizen-driven solutions
Enabling legislation for demand response programmes adjusted to NII system characteristics

22. Thank you for your attention!
Alkisti Florou
Kostas Komninos