The remote Greek island of Astypalaia in the Dodecanese, where the government and Volkswagen are conducting a smart mobility pilot program, will now try to get away from using generators for power by using solar.
PPC Renewables, the green energy unit of the state utility company PPC, has won a tender to build a 3.5 MW solar project and a 5 MW/10 MWh battery system there.
The VW project is for ride-sharing and car sharing on an island that’s renowned as one of the country’s most genuine and charming because of its seclusion and far fewer number of tourists overruning it.
It has only about 1,500 permanent residents relying on generators for their power but that’s set to change at the same time the New Democracy government wants more solar in use around the country.
PPC Renewables Chief Executive Konstantinos Mavros told the magazine that construction of the solar-plus-storage plant is expected to start in about six Existing diesel generators will remain in place to power the rest of the island and Mavros said that PPC Renewables is committed to expanding the hybrid project in about three to four years, to cover more than 80 percent.
The magazine noted that other islands with smart projects include Naxos, Halki and Tilos as part of the Gr-Eco Islands Initiative, which aims to deploy green tech in the Aegean Sea archipelago in the scheme.
It’s a 100 million euro ($99 million) initiative but the details haven’t been fully fleshed out but the government has said that switching to sustainable alternatives is needed to further wean off Russia energy supplies.