Small islands, like Cyprus, can be early beneficiaries of renewable energy systems since the levelised cost of energy production in most technologies is already competitive with conventional energy generation, Yiorgos Lakkotrypis Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry, and Tourism stressed at the two-day workshop on Renewable Energy Applications for Island Tourism, held in Paphos, under the Global Renewable Energy Islands Network initiative.
“We live in an era of fast moving innovation and technological change,” Lakkotrypis stated.
“As such, the resulting technological advances and cost reductions offer policy makers and private stakeholders the potential solutions to existing challenges faced by the global community,” he continued.
The Minister highlighted that island environments require tailor-made technical solutions, dependent upon the particular island resource endowments and energy needs.
Praising Cyprus, Lakkotrypis explained: “We are proud to note that Cyprus ranks first in the world in the use of solar energy for water heating, having also achieved significant progress in renewable electricity generation in a very short period of time.
“Manufacturing of solar water heaters in Cyprus actually began in the early sixties and the solar thermal industry today accommodates around 44 small and medium-sized companies. Currently, more than 93% of households and 52% of hotels are equipped with solar water heating systems. As a result, the island has approximately one square meter of installed solar collectors per capita, which is a world record according to the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation.”
Still, a lot of work is left to be done: “The energy strategy of Cyprus doesn’t end here. The ambitious targets we have set for renewable energy penetration are greatly facilitated through implementation of support programmes, which operate since 2004 and are related to the use of energy conservation technologies and the utilisation of indigenous Renewable Energy Sources. These schemes have provided substantial financial incentives to both households and enterprises, to the tune of 50,000 beneficiaries and over €101 million by the end of 2013.”
Due to the fact that to this day Cyprus remains an isolated energy system, with high dependency on the imports of liquid fuel and no interconnections to European or regional electricity networks, the Government believes resolutely that renewable energy can play a major role in:
1. Reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere;
2. Fostering economic growth;
3. Creating employment;
4. And upgrading the tourism industry, which is one of the most important economic sectors of island countries.
Aiming to strengthen the country’s security of energy supply, enhance its energy self-sufficiency and shield its geostrategic role, the Government has been working on formulating and applying its strategy to accelerate the deployment of RES installations on the island.
Lakkotrypis clarified: “Currently, we are in the process of revising our National Action Plan in an effort to increase RES contribution to the country’s final energy consumption and, consequently, achieve or even exceed our binding 2020 targets. To this end, the Cyprus Government has in fact expressed interest, in the context of the Global Renewable Energy Islands Network, to obtain technical assistance in redeveloping our national renewable energy roadmap. After several consultations and meetings, the Cyprus Government has signed a relevant agreement with IRENA on April 9th 2014.”
Cyprus’ 2020 target calls for 13% of Renewable Energy Sources contribution to the gross final energy consumption.
“Our aim is to license an additional 175MW of photovoltaic systems by 2025, with the technical limitations to the grid currently being the main obstacle to achieving our targets,” the Minister explained.
The two-day workshop has been co-organised by IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), and the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism and will conclude today, Friday May 30.
Published by www.goldnews.com.cy
