Climate change is currently the most severe global environmental problem creating large damages and chaos both in developed and in developing countries. Mitigation of climate change is required for controlling the temperature rise at affordable levels in the coming decades. Emissions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere should be sharply reduced soon coupled with atmospheric carbon removal using various processes. Islands are unique energy communities with specific characteristics and features. Their ecosystems are fragile and vulnerable requiring protection. Many islands have isolated electric grids that make difficult the use of renewable energies in them particularly the intermittent renewable energy sources. Each island has unique green energy resources that can be used for heat and power generation. The clean energy transition in islands requires the combined use of many carbon-free energy technologies in heat, cooling and power generation as well as in transportation. The involvement of all stakeholders in the creation of a de-carbonization plan and their commitment in its realization is a prerequisite for a successful clean energy transformation. The book is tackling the possibility of clean energy transition in the island of Crete, Greece that is important taking into account the urgent necessity to mitigate climate change and the EU goal for carbon neutrality in the continent in the coming decades. The methodology followed can be replicated in other islands with different characteristics and features. It is obvious that islands with different availability of renewable energy resources can use different technologies for energy generation compared to Crete.

While islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change, they enjoy a naturally high potential of renewable energy sources to harness. Many islands have abundant renewable energy potential, which can be tapped to lead decarbonisation. However, access to reliable, clean and competitive sources of energy remains a main concern of island communities in the EU. Although it is often technically and financially possible to develop renewable energy projects on islands, legal and regulatory frameworks, whether EU, national, regional or local, are not always fitfor purpose. In order to better understand how legal and regulatory frameworks help or hinder the development of local decarbonised energy systems on EU islands of seven specific Member States, the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat examined the frameworks of Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Croatia and Estonia. The study identifies regulatory and policy barriers to the clean energy transition on the islands and formulates concrete recommendations to overcome them. For each of the Member States these findings were discussed with diverse national stakeholders in two online Focus Group Meetings and a physical National Stakeholder Meeting. This study is deliverable of the Task Force 2 - Think Tank on legislation and regulation for islands of the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat. It builds further on the Regulatory inventory of legal and regulatory national frameworks that support clean energy development for 15 Member States, available online on the website of the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat.

Welcome to the Islands Clean Energy Transition Handbook. This Handbook is an action- oriented guide to help islands navigate the transition toward clean energy. It follows a central methodology (EXPLORE, SHAPE, ACT) to cover ideas and projects in all stages of the clean energy transition. It also provides examples of European islands and includes references to key publications. The EXPLORE part addresses islands that are just starting their clean energy transition. It guides the development of a Clean Energy Transition Agenda (CETA), i.e., a strategic roadmap to decarbonise the island. The SHAPE part aims to bring forward the potential solutions suggested in the CETA to shape them into a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects. The project idea needs to be first developed, followed by studies assessing the feasibility of the projects, and the development of the business case. The ACT part focuses on further developing the projects so that they are ready to be implemented on the ground, including finding the right funding and financing, developing the business plan, and setting up the required partnerships for implementation.

This book explains the challenges and barriers of island energy systems in the European Union. It reviews the research projects carried out to date, and proposes a new feasible scheme that could be advantageous to many isolated energy systems. The book contains a thorough literature review, to ensure the originality of its ideas. It provides a clear insight of the opportunities and difficulties facing EU island energy systems.

Many islands currently rely on heavy fuel oil as their primary energy source. As the issue of pollution and climate change became a reality, many countries, including island nations, began looking to reduce their carbon emissions by launching programs and policies designed to ease their transition from oil to alternative energy technologies that are more environmentally friendly. Transitioning Island Nations Into Sustainable Energy Hubs: Emerging Research and Opportunities provides the latest research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of establishing renewable energy source systems on islands. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as the vision of future energy networks and its role in creating the idea of energy hubs, this book is ideally designed for academicians, environmental professionals, researchers, policy makers, environmental engineers, and individuals seeking current research on renewable energy development.

The Clean energy for EU islands Initiative was launched in May 2017, underlining the European Union's intent to accelerate the clean energy transition on Europe's more than 2,400 inhabited islands. The initiative aims to reduce the dependency of European islands on energy imports by making better use of their own renewable energy sources. As a support to the launch of the initiative, the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat was set up in 2018 to act as a network for island stakeholders and to provide dedicated capacity building and technical advisory services. Between 2018 and 2020, the Secretariat acted as a pilot project supporting the EU-wide community of islands in their efforts to transition to sustainable energy and reduce energy consumption. Following the signature of the Memorandum of Split in 2020, the second phase of the Secretariat was launched in the beginning of 2021 and will run for two years. The second phase will build on the results of the pilot years to create a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects on islands in the EU.

In order for Greece to contribute its due share to the European energy and climate targets for 2030, as laid down by the Clean Energy Package texts and commitments, a true energy “renaissance” has to take place during the coming decade. This “renaissance” is urgently needed, in order to substantially upgrade and decarbonise an antiquated, highly inefficient and polluting national energy system, still relying heavily on domestic low-quality lignite and on imported oil. The scale of the required energy transformation that has to take place in the country, in the 2021-2030 period, if Greece is to meet its 2030 EU goals and international commitments is impressive: according to the Greek National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP, 2021-2030), investments totaling 35 billion euros have to materialise by 2030 in the Greek energy sector alone, two thirds of which will have to be channeled to energy efficiency, renewables and electricity transmission infrastructure/storage. The present paper explores key challenges posed on the Greek energy sector by the EU Energy Transition process and the application of the Clean Energy Package provisions and commitments, in the 2020-2030 period. In the crucial direction of securing the required green energy and the proper infrastructure needed for Greece's energy transformation process, the paper discusses core energy issues, concerns and persisting obstacles that hinder or considerably slow down the required transformation (legislative, administrative, financial, etc.). Based on this analysis, the paper proposes specific policies, measures and top developmental priorities for the Greek energy sector in the coming decade, hopefully providing, as well, useful considerations for other South Eastern European countries.