SIF chair Camille Dressler attended the Clean energy for EU islands forum 2024, taking place in on 14-15 May 2024, on the island of Pantelleria, 6 hours by ferry from Sicily. The forum embodied the theme “the power of islands: building resilience through renewables” and gathered together the representatives of 30 islands chosen for support in achieving a fully renewable energy supply alongside key players from the EU islands community.
Key highlights included insights from a legal and regulatory study on national policies supporting clean energy transitions on European islands, understanding microgrids and storage potentials, fostering stronger relationships among stakeholders and exploring Pantelleria’s innovative approaches to the energy transition.
“I learnt a lot that could be applicable to our Scottish islands as well as the small Islands of Europe that SIF is involved with through its membership of the European Small islands Federation” said Camille. “it was also my pleasure to present our hosts in Pantelleria with one of the “Yes to Renewables” flag provided by Steve Wade , CEO of Wind and Sun ltd which supplies many Scottish islands with their inverter technology. Pantelleria – nicknamed “daughter of the winds” has a great onshore and off-shore wind potential as well as solar PVs! I really liked their neat municipal electric buses which carried 30 people each up and down the island’s mountainous roads.”