Energy Islands in Greece: Are they Feasible in Aegean Sea?

The future development of energy islands in North Sea is going to assist the further growth of offshore wind farms in a territory characterized by rich wind energy resources. The development of offshore wind farms in Aegean Sea, which is characterized by high mean annual wind velocities, is in the initial phase while it is foreseen that by 2050 the electricity generated by offshore wind farms will have a high share in the energy mix in Greece. The future interconnection of the electric grids of the small islands in Aegean Sea with the grid of continental Greece is going to trigger the development of new renewable energy installations in these islands reducing the current use of oil-based fuels in them. The development of offshore wind farms in Aegean Sea could be combined with green hydrogen production, when it is profitable, while it could be also used in the future for electricity generation from sea waves. The future development of physical energy islands in the Archipelago combined with the development of offshore wind farms and the interconnection of the small islands’ grids could promote the further development of the rich solar and wind energy resources in Aegean Sea assisting the de-carbonization of the Greek power system. The current work could be useful to policy makers, to local and regional authorities as well as to energy companies which are willing to invest in renewable energy systems in Aegean Sea.