On February 18, 2019- 26 European islands have officially launched their clean energy transition with the support of the European Commission’s Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat. In a first phase, 6 islands, the Aran Islands (Ireland), the Cres-Lošinj archipelago (Croatia), Sifnos (Greece),Culatra (Portugal), Salina (Italy) and La Palma (Spain) will develop and publish their clean energy transition agendas by summer 2019. The other 20 islands will do so by summer 2020.

The EHA is part of the Interreg supported SEAFUEL project. SEAFUEL aims to demonstrate the feasibility to power local transportation networks using fuels produced by renewable energies and seawater, with no net carbon footprint. It will cover technical innovation by a demonstration plant, a framework for policy implementation and a sustainability analysis of production, distribution and usage of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in remote Atlantic regions, i.e. the Canary Islands and Madeira. The energy required will provide from renewable resources available across the Atlantic Area such as solar, wind and marine.

In addition the Scottish HYBRIT project  builds on foundations laid by the Orkney Surf ‘n’ Turf initiative, which will see production of hydrogen on the islands of Eday and Shapinsay using wind and tidal energy. Renewable electricity generated on the islands of Eday and Shapinsay is used by electrolysers to produce hydrogen, by electrolysis of water. This hydrogen is then stored as high pressure gas in the tube trailers, which can be transported to mainland Orkney.

The Scottish Government on March 12, 2019 has set out their vision for Scotland’s electricity and gas networks to 2030. The Electricity and Gas Networks Vision builds on Scotland’s Energy Strategy of 2017 The Networks Vision considers how Scotland’s electricity and gas network infrastructure will continue to support the energy transition, the crucial role that Scotland’s electricity and gas networks will play in the energy transition currently underway.

The EU Clean Energy Initiative isalnds are:

• Hvar, Croatia

• New Caledonia, France

• Pantelleria, Italy

• A Illa de Arousa, Spain

• Brač, Croatia • Crete, Greece • Azores, Portugal • Gotland, Sweden
• Korčula, Croatia • Samos, Greece • Ibiza, Spain • Öland, Sweden
• Kökar, Finland • Cape Clear, Ireland • Mallorca, Spain • Orkney, UK
• Marie-Galante, France • Favignana, Italy • Menorca, Spain • Group of Off-Grid Scottish Islands, UK