INSULAE – Maximizing the impact of innovative energy approaches in the EU islands

DESCRIPTION
The aim of INSULAE is to foster the deployment of innovative solutions for the EU islands decarbonization by developing and demonstrating at three Lighthouse Islands (located in Croatia, in Denmark and in Portugal) a set of interventions linked to seven replicable use cases, whose results will validate an Investment Planning Tool that will be then demonstrated at four Follower Islands (located in Spain, in Germany, in The Netherlands Antilles and in Greece) for the development of four associated Action Plans. The chosen islands are complementary in many aspects: location, size, connection with the mainland, economic development, renewable share and carbon intensity.
INSULAE contributes to the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative by providing an Investment Planning Tool (IPT) able to create Actions Plans for the islands to generate their own sustainable, low-cost energy. The interventions will prove the ability of the use cases to develop RES-based systems 40-70% cheaper than diesel generation, thus, enabling an average reduction of the fossil fuel consumption of 11% after a large deployment of the use cases in the INSULAE islands.
OBJETIVES
- To create an Investment Planning Tool ready to guide EU islands decision makers (energy system planners, utility owners, project promoters and public authorities) in the design of cost-effective Action Plans for decarbonizing their energy systems
- To carry out a complete demonstration program up to TRL 8 in three Lighthouse Islands, involving seven interventions from seven use cases, able to cope with the main challenges of the EU islands energy systems.
- To ensure a large project replication directly manageable by the consortium bringing INSULAE results to a 13% of the total EU island population.
- To engage islands inhabitants in the transition towards a low carbon economy considering them as an active player in the energy system.
- To protect the islands ecosystems preserving its biodiversity, as well as its cultural heritage, making them attractive for tourism.
- To create a critical mass of professionals ready to replicate INSULAE use cases relying on training actions and experience sharing between islands.
CIRCE'S ROLE
- CIRCE will be in charge of the coordination of the project, ensuring an effective and comprehensive administrative, financial and legal management to guarantee the successful execution of the project.
- CIRCE will led the WP4, consisting of modelling, simulating, engineering and development the equipment required for the LightHouse demonstrations.
- The task 2.2 Reference islands definition through KPIs and task 10.1 Development of the Dissemination and Communication Strategy will be conducted by CIRCE.