A forum to be staged by France’s Regulatory Authority for Energy in Paris tomorrow, titled “Clean Energy for EU Islands”, will focus on clean energy transformation for Europe’s islands and the need for a new and flexible regulatory framework.

Though RES facilities have been installed on over 2,000 European islands, they largely remain dependent on fuel, driving up energy costs and severely impacting the environment.

The European Commission is paying particular attention to RES and environment matters concerning the continent’s islands through its Islands Initiative effort.

Its objective is to establish a framework that will aim to transform isolated island energy systems into examples of environmental action and innovation. A related treaty signed in Malta by the European Commission and 17 EU member states maintaining island systems was followed by an inaugural forum on Crete last September.

Greece is playing a key role in the overall effort, especially following the international recognition of an innovative hybrid project for power generation and supply on the island Tilos. It combine RES energy production with accumulator storage technology, enabling consumers to be supplied during periods when renewable sources (solar and wind) are insufficient or not available.

Participating in tomorrow’s forum, Nikos Hatziargyriou, the head official at HEDNO, the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator, will discuss energy transformation challenges faced by the islands.

Nektaria Karakatsani, a member of RAE, Greece’s Regulatory Authority for Energy, taking part in a panel discussion to focus on island energy costs, public service compensation, the co-existence of RES and conventional units, and RES support mechanisms, will elaborate on regulatory models and energy transformation.

Dominique Ristori, Head of DG Energy at the European Commission, French ministers, energy regulators, as well as operators in EU member states with islands, such as Greece, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Malta and Denmark, will also take part in the Paris event.