Clean energy: Salina among the islands leading the transition to renewables in Europe

Salina, in the Sicilian Aeolian archipelago, was chosen among the six pilot islands of the European Union for the transition to clean energy as part of the iniative "Clean Energy for EU Islands” of the European Commission, aiming at promoting self-sufficiency, sustainability and new jobs in smaller islands. The activities will start in the upcoming months with the drafting of a plan for the island's energy transition, thanks to the support of ENEA, the Sicilian Region and the European Clean Energy Secretariat.

In addition to Salina, Cres-Lošinj (Croatia), the Aran Islands (Ireland), Sifnos (Greece), Culatra (Portugal) and La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) were chosen. Another 20 EU islands, including Favignana and Pantelleria for Italy, will start the activities by summer 2020.

Salina's candidacy was promoted by ENEA and the Sicilian Region, together with the three municipal administrations of the island (Malfa, Santa Marina di Salina and Leni), the INGV and local associations.

The path towards clean energy of Salina, the first island in Italy to be chosen for this initiative, started with the "Pact of the islands", signed in 2013, thanks to which the three island municipalities drew up their energy and CO2 emissions budgets and the  Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs).

"The Salina best practice will be the basis on which to plan the sustainable transition of Pantelleria and Favignana, but also of other smaller Sicilian islands", Francesco Cappello of the ENEA Department Energy Efficiency Unit, pointed out. "The energy transition to 2050 of the majority of the 14 smaller islands in the Sicilian archipelagos, is in fact foreseen by the preliminary document of the new Regional Energy Plan, coordinated by the Department of Energy of the Sicilian Region and developed by technical-scientific institutions, including ENEA, Sicilian universities , the CNR and GSE ".

For more information:

Francesco Cappello, ENEA – Department “Energy Efficiency Unit”, Division “Integrated Services for Territorial Development”, francesco.cappello@enea.it

Press release Clean Energy for EU Islands European Secretariat