Are island power systems underutilised?

As considered above, island power systems are typically characterised by a high ratio of total installed capacity over peak load and a low capacity factor as noted in Section 4.2. The consequence of this is a relatively underutilised generation system.

Why are the islands a challenge in the energy sector?

The islands represent an interesting dimension of European geography, and present a challenge in the energy sector. Most energy on islands is currently produced by diesel power generation, which is both costly, finite, and has relatively high carbon emissions. As a result, the situation will be forced to change in the medium term.

Why are island energy systems important?

Islands have often been given insufficient attention as a location for implementing innovative energy technologies . Island energy systems differ in important ways from large interconnected energy systems both in systemic terms as well as in how they are represented in regulation.

Why are island systems struggling with soaring electricity costs?

Largely dependent on imported fuel oil, many island systems must grapple with soaring electricity costs and reliability issues, in part because they are isolated and they don’t benefit from economies of scale. But some nations are seeking alternatives. It’s the same story all over the world.

Should Islands be connected to mainland power systems?

At the cost of an often very significant capital investment, connecting islands to mainland power systems can significantly reduce the costs of electricity supply. Several techno-economic analyses have investigated relatively positive cases for interconnection, e.g. for several Greek islands and for Malta , .

Are small island energy companies able to develop storage systems?

Small island energy companies do not typically have the research or engineering capability to internally assess the viability of storage projects. Small island power companies find it difficult to raise the required finance for implementation of storage systems. Project costs here can be very significant relative to the scale of the system.