Crete – The largest «Green» Island globally

The increasing energy demand of Crete, combined with the existing, insufficient power plants, has led to continuous power cuts, especially during summer. This fact causes significant financial losses, especially during the high tourist seasons.

Moreover, the old, polluting oil fired power plants are located practically within cities, such as the ones in Linoperamata and Chania, a fact that has led to the imposition of significant penalties in the past.

COPELOUZOS GROUP has submitted a proposal for the development of wind parks of total capacity 1,005 MW, in order to confront the inadequacy of electric energy and the pollution of the environment. The planning of the project has foreseen a totally harmonic distribution of the wind parks along the island. They will be installed in inaccessible areas, far away from areas of tourist and cultural interest. The wind parks will be sited following all the criteria of the Special Planning for the Renewable Energy Sources. Moreover, the usage of modern technology high capacity wind turbines has been selected, in order to install the smallest possible number.

COPELOUZOS GROUP proposal also includes the implementation of an old vision, the electrical interconnection of Crete with the mainland of greece.This will be achieved through a submarine cable that will start from the region of Korakia, Heraklion, and will end at the High Voltage Center in Acharnai, Attiki.

This investment proposal, including the electric interconnection of Crete with the National Grid System will reach €2 bn.

The particular project will benefit Crete, as well as Greece in general.

In more detail, the benefits of the project will be:

• The long-term securing of the energy demand of Crete.
• The permanent solution of the continuous power cuts, especially during the summer high tourist season months.
• The elimination of the operation of the old and harmful oil power plants, which are harmful to the environment and the health of the local population.
• The Municipalities and the inhabitants of the areas where wind parks are going to installed will financially benefit. The annual revenues of the Municipalities are estimated to € 4 million, whereas it is expected that the inhabitants of the areas where wind parks are going to be installed will not pay electricity bills.
• Strengthening of the local employment during the construction phase, as well as during the operation of the wind parks. It is estimated that more than 1,000 local workers will be employed during the construction phase, whereas local contractors will also be utilized for the execution of the works.

On a national level, financial and environmental benefits will arise, due to the significant reduction of air pollutants. Through the implementation of the investment, the inadequate and polluting oil fired power plants will be put in cold reserve mode, whereas the modern plants, such as the one of Atherinolakkos, will be converted to natural gas fired power plants using natural gas that will reach Crete in compressed form (CNG). The significant reduction of the air pollutants will result to the reduction of the penalties imposed to the Public Power Corporation on an annual basis. The installation of a thermal power plant in Korakia, where PPC would invest € 500m, will be avoided.

Moreover, immediate benefits will appear in the Tourist sector, due to the international promotion of Crete as the “Largest Green Island Globally”, as the presence of wind parks will attract tourists and researchers during the winter period also, in order to visit and study the installations. This is currently happening in the islands of Samsoe in Denmark and Utsira in Norway.

Finally, the installation and operation of wind parks will be the basis for the establishment of the “RES Energy Academy” in Crete, whereas the existing educational institutions will benefit from their actual connection with Sustainable Growth projects.