Zeitschrift für Tourismus und Gastgewerbe
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Energy Transition in Sifnos; A Patter for Economic and Social Development: A Review

Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis, Eirini Dakanali, Apostolos Dimopoulos, Giannis Gyllis

Energy transition constitutes a major challenge for the whole planet. Once implemented following an effective, rational and fair approach, it can be the lever for sustainable economic and social growth for all citizens, especially for regions with high Renewable Energy Sources (RES) potential. The present article focuses on the effort of the Sifnos Energy Community (SEC) towards this direction. Typically, as all Aegean Sea islands, Sifnos has been blessed with remarkable wind potential, available on constant basis during the whole year (average wind velocity at 9 m/s). The intensive land morphology favors the installation of seawater Pumped Hydro Storage systems (PHS), with large storage capacity and minimized set-up cost. A Hybrid Power Plant (HPP) has been proposed for the island by SEC, as the main energy transition project in Sifnos. It consists of a 12 MW wind park and a seawater PHS with 860 MWh of storage capacity. The achieved storage capacity offers an autonomy operation period of 15 days. The PHS set-up cost, through its proper design and siting, is kept as low as 30 €/kWh of storage capacity. The HPP is capable to cover 100% electricity demand in Sifnos, including the anticipating additional load from the transition to e-mobility. The excess electricity production during the low power demand season (from October to May), can be absorbed for potable water production through reverse osmosis desalination plants and hydrogen production with an electrolysis unit. The potable water annual availability can be doubled, compared to the current annually consumed water amount, enabling the development of additional professional activities on the island, such as biological stock-farming and agriculture, assisting, in this way, the local economy to reduce its strong dependency on tourism. The produced hydrogen can be used to power a 200-passenger vessel and ensure secure and daily maritime interconnection of Sifnos with the neighboring larger islands in the Cyclades complex, solving once and for ever the issue of insularity in Sifnos. The plan of energy transition in Sifnos can constitute a pattern for social and economic development for all islands in the world.