Keywords: renewable energy region, 100% renewable energy self sufficiency region, Corfu Island, renewable energy in Corfu Island.
Corfu is located at the north-west borders of Greece, between Greece, Albania, and Italy (Figure 1). The municipality of Thinalli was formed in 1990 by merging of the 12 preexisting communities of the region. It covers an area of 8,000 hectares, with a permanent population of 5,500 people. The population is triple in summer months due to tourism.[1][2]
Corfu is located at the north-west borders of Greece, between Greece, Albania, and Italy (Figure 1). The municipality of Thinalli was formed in 1990 by merging of the 12 preexisting communities of the region. It covers an area of 8,000 hectares, with a permanent population of 5,500 people. The population is triple in summer months due to tourism.[1][2]
Figure 1. Corfu Island in Greek[3][4]
Backgound
In 1995 the municipality of Thinalli started an initiative which aims to establish environmental protection projects and policies. In 1999 the technical service of municipality started a program for the next 5 years. The program concentrated on actions to increase renewable energy utilization to the local consumption energy. These actions should be taken by municipality and private bodies. The reason was electricity and heating will be not supplied to islands region such as Corfu. Electricity in Greece is generated by coal-fired stations of PPC and heating is supplied by petrol-fired boilers as natural gas.[1][2]
Objectives[2]
Actions
Loads Recording
This was the first action taken in the project. All loads of municipality, citizens, and industrial were recorded. The result was yearly energy consumption of the area. This action was aimed to quantify and determine the requirement of renewable energy needed. Besides, it helped to set yearly targets for installation of the system (for the next 5 years), in order to achieve 100% renewable energy supply. The process has been started and ended in December 2000.[2]
Energy Efficiency
The aim was to reduce energy consumption by 40% yearly. Actions included the replacement of all the incandescent lamp with electronic (with high efficiency), the implementation of double glazing, the installation of capacitors at large pumping station, etc.[2]
Parties Involved[1]
Renewable Energy
Biomass
The main objective was to build a biomass plant. The biomass plant was aimed to produce bio-oil by advance combustion technique with the input from municipal and agricultural waste. The local authorities participated were the Municipalities of Esperion, Thinalli Kassiopi, Agios, Georgios, Feakes and Palaiokastritsa. All of them are located in the north of Corfu. The action included the target of "5 M tonnes of liquid bio-fuels" in the campaign for take-off. The plant was starting the construction of the plant by 2001.[2]
Anaerobic Digester
The municipality has started a project consists of the installation of waste-water network and a biological waste-water treatment plant together with anaerobic digester unit for methane production. Finance gained for this project was 6,060,606 Euro. The project has started in 1999 and would be closed by late 2002.[2]
Wind Power
After measurement of the region's wind power have been completed in 2002, a decision of the wind turbines installed would be made to cover the energy demand of the municipality. It was estimated that a plant should generate approximately 5 M KWh/annum. Installation was planned to be executed in early 2003. It would be directed by the Development Company of Thinalli.[2]
PV Systems
This action was aimed to promote and introduce the use, effectiveness, and reliability of PV technology to be utilized by the citizens and industrial. A demonstration installation of a PV system would be achieved within the year of 2000.[2]
Solar Thermal Collectors
Some solar collectors were aimed to provide the sports center of the municipality with hot water. The collectors would replace the existing electric boilers in the sports center. The installation would take place in Autumn 2000. It would be directed by the municipality of Thinalli.[2]
Management
The installation will be directed by the technical services department of Thinalli Municipality. The workload would be undertaken by the Development Company of Thinalli. The decision of all actions would be undertaken by the mayor of Thinalli Municipality, except the biomass plant which 6 mayors would contribute. After the preliminary study has been finished, the Development Company of Thinalli should have a large share. This was aimed to make this project to be a flexible platform, where a mixture of private and public investment could be exploited in the development renewable energy projects in the region.[2]
Information Related
Backgound
In 1995 the municipality of Thinalli started an initiative which aims to establish environmental protection projects and policies. In 1999 the technical service of municipality started a program for the next 5 years. The program concentrated on actions to increase renewable energy utilization to the local consumption energy. These actions should be taken by municipality and private bodies. The reason was electricity and heating will be not supplied to islands region such as Corfu. Electricity in Greece is generated by coal-fired stations of PPC and heating is supplied by petrol-fired boilers as natural gas.[1][2]
Objectives[2]
- Introduce the contribution of renewable energies as power consumption in the local population and industry.
- Exploit the potential of biomass, wind, and solar energy.
- Provide 100% renewable energy for the community of Acharavi, Perithia, Palea Peritheia, Laffi and Klimatia, by the year 2004-2005.
- Use facilities for research purposes (applicable only in the case of biomass reactor for bio-oil production).
- Introduce renewable energy technology to the local professional human resources (training of engineers and technicians).
- Increase awareness of local population and tourist on renewable energy sources and their benefits through information (advertising) campaign.
- Stimulate the market of bio-fuels in the island of Corfu.
Actions
Loads Recording
This was the first action taken in the project. All loads of municipality, citizens, and industrial were recorded. The result was yearly energy consumption of the area. This action was aimed to quantify and determine the requirement of renewable energy needed. Besides, it helped to set yearly targets for installation of the system (for the next 5 years), in order to achieve 100% renewable energy supply. The process has been started and ended in December 2000.[2]
Energy Efficiency
The aim was to reduce energy consumption by 40% yearly. Actions included the replacement of all the incandescent lamp with electronic (with high efficiency), the implementation of double glazing, the installation of capacitors at large pumping station, etc.[2]
Parties Involved[1]
- Development company of Thinalli
- Municipality of Feakes
- Municipality of Kassiopi
- Municipality of Esperion
- Municipality of Agios Georgios
- Municipality of Palaiokastritsa
Renewable Energy
Biomass
The main objective was to build a biomass plant. The biomass plant was aimed to produce bio-oil by advance combustion technique with the input from municipal and agricultural waste. The local authorities participated were the Municipalities of Esperion, Thinalli Kassiopi, Agios, Georgios, Feakes and Palaiokastritsa. All of them are located in the north of Corfu. The action included the target of "5 M tonnes of liquid bio-fuels" in the campaign for take-off. The plant was starting the construction of the plant by 2001.[2]
Anaerobic Digester
The municipality has started a project consists of the installation of waste-water network and a biological waste-water treatment plant together with anaerobic digester unit for methane production. Finance gained for this project was 6,060,606 Euro. The project has started in 1999 and would be closed by late 2002.[2]
Wind Power
After measurement of the region's wind power have been completed in 2002, a decision of the wind turbines installed would be made to cover the energy demand of the municipality. It was estimated that a plant should generate approximately 5 M KWh/annum. Installation was planned to be executed in early 2003. It would be directed by the Development Company of Thinalli.[2]
PV Systems
This action was aimed to promote and introduce the use, effectiveness, and reliability of PV technology to be utilized by the citizens and industrial. A demonstration installation of a PV system would be achieved within the year of 2000.[2]
Solar Thermal Collectors
Some solar collectors were aimed to provide the sports center of the municipality with hot water. The collectors would replace the existing electric boilers in the sports center. The installation would take place in Autumn 2000. It would be directed by the municipality of Thinalli.[2]
Management
The installation will be directed by the technical services department of Thinalli Municipality. The workload would be undertaken by the Development Company of Thinalli. The decision of all actions would be undertaken by the mayor of Thinalli Municipality, except the biomass plant which 6 mayors would contribute. After the preliminary study has been finished, the Development Company of Thinalli should have a large share. This was aimed to make this project to be a flexible platform, where a mixture of private and public investment could be exploited in the development renewable energy projects in the region.[2]
Information Related
- Island 100%. http://www.insula-elhierro.com/en/islands1.htm. Accessed November 21, 2009.
List of References
- Renewable Energy Park for the Island of Corfu. http://ec.europa.eu/energy/idae_site/deploy/prj013/prj013_1.html. Accessed November 21, 2009.
- Renewable Energy Park for the Island of Corfu. http://old.insula.org/islandsonline/corfu-1.pdf. Accessed November 21, 2009.
- Location of Corfu Island. http://www.seabreeze-aghios-gordios.gr/images/photos/map.gif. Accessed April 10, 2010.
- Map of Corfu. http://www.parkhotelcorfu.gr/map/big.gif. Accessed April 10, 2010.
Posts
Hello
ReplyDeleteI own a house in the municipality of Thinalli and am looking into installing a Solar PV System with a Feed in Tarrif system (returning unused generated electricty back into the national grid).Does Greece operate such a scheme and if so who are the recognised suppliers.
Thanks in anticipation
Dennis Cooper
Hello,
DeleteI have found that Greece applied such mechanism since 2006. What great is, the banking sector offers up to 100% financing for the installation of residential PV systems. Due to that reason, thousands of people applied for such systems (http://www.helapco.gr/ims/file/english/greek_pv_market.pdf).
Suppliers for solar PV system for example are ECO//SUN Hellas, Alexakis Energy, Allcom, Alpha Omega Ecological Solutions, Aresti Power Ltd, and many more. More information: http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byGeo/byC/Greece/byP/solar/pvS/byB/wholesale/supplier.shtml.
I can't give you any recognition which one is better, but try to contact them and ask in details about your questions. They will give appropriate information.
I hope that little information could help you.
Siti Fauziah
Great article and useful weblog. Thanks for publishing this. It’s useful and informative. Keep up the great.
ReplyDeleteSolar Energy Parks
Highlighting regions is such a good idea, but I think it should be taken in a more combative way. Being an enemy of eco energy in the modern world is embarrassing for corporations and governments and if the light was shone on their misgivings, they'd surely do something about it.
ReplyDelete