Tilos, Greece: The first island in the Mediterranean to run entirely on wind and solar power

When the power fails on the tiny Greek island of Tilos - a regular problem, particularly in the summer when tourists flood in - hotel owner Andreas Lardopoulos struggles with failed appliances, rotting food and inconvenienced guests.

But an effort is underway to turn the remote Dodecanese island, 78 km (48 miles) from Rhodes, from an importer of dirty diesel power into a largely self-sufficient energy hub capable of exporting clean electricity to neighboring small islands.

Using a grant of 11 million euros ($12.9 million) from the European Commission, as part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation push, the plan is to transform Tilos into one of the Mediterranean’s first green energy islands.

The effort will use solar and wind power to generate enough electricity for the 550 residents who live on Tilos year-round and thousands of tourists who visit every summer to enjoy the island’s tranquil beaches and laid-back vibe.

In the coming weeks, a hybrid power plant consisting of a single wind turbine, a photovoltaic solar panel station and battery storage system is expected to start meeting the daily electricity needs of between 250 and 300 households.

The system will generate and store enough power to supply about three-quarters of the island’s annual demand, backers say, with any excess power passed to other islands in the area.

Lardopoulos hopes the new electricity system will put an end to the frequent power cuts - some lasting more than 12 hours - that make his life as a small hotel owner challenging.

“Hopefully the renewable energy will help us solve these problems and save some money,” he said.

To read the full article, please go to Remote Greek Isle Switches Off Power Cuts, Lights Up Green Energy

Source: Reuters

Region: Europe

Country: Greece