The most isolated of islands may seem like the perfect location for a vacation paradise, but it comes with an energy burden that can be colossal. Geographically remote islands big and small have for decades procured fuel oil generators, developed dependence on diesel delivery barges and sunk trillions of dollars in debt, largely because they don’t enjoy economies of scale or benefit from cheaper crude when it’s plentiful. When prices spiked, the consequences were devastating for many island nations.
For most private islands, energy costs have risen even as the number of visitors has fallen and the electricity supply has become more expensive. To cut their energy bills and carbon emissions, some owners are turning to renewables.
Whether they are private, public or a combination of the two, most island power systems require some kind of backup to take over when the sun stops shining and the wind stops blowing, because even the best renewables can’t provide electricity all day every day.
That’s why, despite the additional cost to household budgets, most islanders are supportive of these projects, Wilson says. Solar-to-water heat pump systems with hot water storage can soften the blow, as will a district heating plant that uses air-to-water technology, biomass and biofuels, or a pumped storage system.
For example, on the second smallest of the Canary Islands, El Hierro—which has been awarded the RESponsible Island prize from AEro EnergyLab—the electricity is generated by wind turbines that work together with a reservoir at higher elevation to harness surplus wind power when it’s not blowing. The system has also significantly reduced the amount of fuel oil used on the island, from 100 litres a day to zero.
Other islands are using similar technologies and experimenting with new solutions to improve efficiency and reduce their energy consumption. On Trinity Island in Greece, a solar-powered water-to-air heat pump system reduces the use of diesel-fueled generators by 80% and is expected to save more than 10 million euros a year. And on the Seychelles’ Denis Island, a photovoltaic project by the company DHYBRID has reduced the amount of fuel oil needed for electricity generation to zero. It has also reduced the island’s carbon dioxide output by more than five million tonnes and is expected to meet EU climate goals by 2050. The Maltese government and Siemens, the island’s electricity utility, are working on a plan to slash islanders’ energy bills by combining the use of renewable energy with an overhaul of existing power plants. The move would save $200 million to $400 million a year. It’s one of a host of measures being proposed to help the country’s island communities reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. The full range of options can be found in the Malta Communique On Accelerating Renewable Energy Uptake For Islands, adopted at a two-day conference that ended last week. The action it advocates is an important step for a world that is increasingly looking to the sea.