The municipality of Kos is planning a clean energy transition for the island of Kos and is already actively moving in this direction, hoping that there will soon be positive results that will benefit the local community.
In this context, an online workshop was held to present Kos' Clean Energy Transition Plan, with the participation of Mayor Theodosis Nikitaras and representatives from the European Commission's Clean Energy Secretariat and CERES (Center for Renewable Energy Sources).
The municipality of Kos, as Mr. Nikitaras pointed out to APE-MPE, joined the European Commission Secretariat's program «CLEAN ENERGY FOR EU ISLANDS,» which concerns the island's plan to achieve the goal of clean energy transition.
«The aforementioned program is an opportunity for Kos to plan ways to achieve energy independence and develop into a “green” destination, with the parallel goal of improving the standard of living for residents and visitors,» notes the mayor of Kos.
«The Clean Energy Transition Plan covers the entire island and combines initiatives that will have a decisive impact on energy consumption, both in existing and future projects. With a strategy that will meet the needs of Kos and ensure the protection of the environment,» Despoina Sapoulidou, special advisor to the mayor of Kos, engineer of spatial planning, urban planning, and regional development, and member of the program's working group, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
In his speech, Mayor Theodosis Nikitaras described Kos's inclusion in the European Commission's Clean Energy Secretariat program as a significant success and emphasized that «by developing a comprehensive energy transition plan, Kos can reduce its environmental footprint, become a “green island,” and develop both economically and socially, with a fully-formed strategy that will meet its needs and ensure the protection of the environment.».
At the same time, the mayor of Kos added that:
«As part of the development of the comprehensive energy transition plan for Kos through this program, we expect and desire the following results:
· Creation of an energy strategy
· Economic and social development of the island by transforming it into a “green island” while protecting the environment
· Increased investment interest in the energy sector, beyond tourism
· Design and construction of new energy-related projects
· Creation of new jobs
· Raising awareness among residents and visitors about environmental issues
· Stabilization of energy, telecommunications, and internet networks
· Reduction of environmental footprint
· Ensuring economic diversification (essentially, the island will not rely exclusively on tourism, which can be easily affected by factors such as earthquakes, migration flows, pandemics, etc.)
· Promotion of the island both at European and global level
· Securing Kos' future energy needs by acquiring control over local alternative energy sources
· Reduction and gradual elimination of Kos' dependence on fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, including transportation) by replacing them with alternative and other sustainable energy sources
· Energy upgrade of Kos's building stock
· Provision of low-cost energy to all businesses in order to create employment on the island.
· Facilitation and at least partial initiative and research and development projects in sustainable energy.
· Possibility of implementing the Kos energy transition plan on other islands with similar characteristics
The above points are key elements in our vision for our island and the social, economic, and general development we wish to see in all areas. The creation of the energy transition plan could also be the subject of academic study and attract universities, research institutes, and other academic bodies, both within and outside Greece, creating an “energy island model” for the European and global community.
