Enhancing effective implementation of sustainable energy action plans in European islands through reinforcement of smart multilevel governance Final Report Authors Alexis Chatzimpiros (Network of Sustainable Aegean Islands, EL) Alkisti Florou (Network of Sustainable Aegean Islands, EL) Kostas Komninos (Network of Sustainable Aegean Islands, EL) Ilias Eftymiopoulos (Network of Sustainable Aegean Islands, EL) Panos Coroyannakis (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, FR) Lise Guennal (Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, FR) Bertil Klintbom (Region Gotland, SE) Bengt Olof Grahn (Region Gotland, SE) Elvira Laneborg (Ölands municipal association, SE) Kai Niklasson (Ölands municipal association, SE) Kaidi Nõmmerga (Hiiu Mumnicipality, EE) Agne Petersoo (Saare County Government, EE) Christian Pleijel (European Small Islands Network, SE) Søren Hermansen (Samsø Energy Academy, DK) Michael Larsen (Samsø Energy Academy, DK) Penélope Ramírez (Technological Institute of Canary islands, ES) Filipe Oliveira (Regional Agency for Energy and Environment of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, PT) Savvas Vlachos (Cyprus Energy Agency, CY) Anthi Charalampous (Cyprus Energy Agency, CY) Lili Vasileva (Local Councils’ Association, MT) Jimmy Margo (Local Councils’ Association, MT) Terry Hegarty (Scottish Islands Federation, UK) SMILEGOV Partners Network of Sustainable Aegean Islands (DAFNI) / Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR)/ Region Gotland (Region Gotland) / Ölands municipal association (Öland Hiiu Municipality) / Hiiumaa Saare County Government (Saaremaa) / European Small Islands Network (ESIN) / Samsø Energy Academy (SE) / Technological Institute of Canary islands (ITC) / Regional Agency for Energy and Environment of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (AREAM) / Cyprus Energy Agency (CEA) / Local Councils' Association (LCA) / Scottish Islands Federation (SIF) SMILEGOV is an action co-funded under the Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) programme of the European Commission. The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EASME (Executive Agency for Small Medium Enterprises) nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Contact Want to learn more on SMILEGOV? Any questions on how to get involved? Please send us an email [email protected] or contact us by phone: 0032 2 612 17 00 www.sustainableislands.eu SMILEGOV Brussels office – Rond Point Schuman 14, 1040 Brussels, Belgium Final Publishable Report Contents Executive Summary 6 1 1 Introduction and Background 7 1.1 Islands and Sustainable Energy 7 1.2 SMILEGOV in a nutshell 8 2 Applied approach and 9 methodology 2.1 An overview 9 2.2 Establishment of island clusters 10 2.3 Priority areas for capacity 12 development 2.4 Capacity development – The 15 structure 2.5 Capacity Development – The 15 tools 2.5.1 Good practices on enabling 16 conditions for good MLG 2.5.2 Strategic Guidelines 16 2.5.3 Toolbox to support project 17 development 2.5.4 E-learning platform 17 2.6 Capacity development – The 19 activities 2.6.1 The plenary workshops 19 2.6.2 The local workshops 24 2.6.3 The task force workshops 25 2.6.4 The study visits 25 2.7 Capacity development – The 27 bankable projects 3 Results and Impact 28 3.1 SMILEGOV doubles the number 28 of Pact of Islands signatories 3.2 SMILEGOV shinning sustainable 29 energy projects 3.2.1 Geothermal District Heating – 29 Lesvos, Cluster of Greece 3.2.2 Offshore Marine Energies 30 Development – Isle of Man, Cluster of CPMR 3.2.3 Deployment of Biogas 31 infrastructure – Öland, Cluster of Sweden 3.2.4 Sports hall in Visby with solar 32 energy – Gotland, Cluster of Sweden 3.2.5 Combined Heat and Power 33 production – Vormsi, Cluster of Estonia 3.2.6 Small wind tyrbine – Keistiö, 34 Cluster of ESIN 3.2.7 Biogas plant – Samsø, Cluster 35 of Denmark 3.2.8 Multi-megawatt wind turbine – 35 Gran Canaria, Cluster of Spain 3.2.9 Energy efficiency on street 37 lighting – Madeira and Porto Santo, Cluster of Portugal and Cape Verde 3.2.10 Upgrade of the street lighting 38 in 20 local authorities, Cluster of Cyprus 3.2.11 Retrofitting Road and Street 39 Lighting by Smart Lighting, Cluster of Malta 3.2.12 Assisting Communities to 40 Connect to Electric Sustainable Sources (ACCESS), Cluster of Scotland 4 Conclusions and 42 Recommendations MULTILEVEL SMILEGOV GOVERNANCE 6 Executive Summary Islands in Europe but also globally are and capacity development. In essence, frontrunners in the fight against climate SMILEGOV helped formulate an enabling change. Although usually rich in renewable environment for enhanced multi-level and energy resources, significant potential to multi-lateral governance (MLG), by provid- increase energy efficiency in their local ing local authorities, its key target group, infrastructure and the need to shift to with concrete tools and methodologies to sustainable mobility, islands often face improve their cooperation with other levels different kinds of barriers, impeding or sig- of administration (regional, national) and nificantly delaying the actual deployment stakeholders and successfully implement of sustainable energy plans and projects in sustainable energy plans and projects. their territories. At the same time through Thus, SMILEGOV responded to a well-iden- islands have a strong tradition in coopera- tified need – that of empowering island tion and experience sharing and can bene- local authorities by building their capacity fit by investing in their human and cultural to use innovative financing schemes, effec- capital to overcome these barriers. tively engage stakeholders and implement SMILEGOV came to assist exactly this pro- bankable sustainable energy projects. cess of knowledge sharing among Europe- The network of 12 island clusters that was an islands of different size and capacities set up thanks to SMILEGOV was the driving by enhancing multi-level cooperation force behind the doubling in number of among levels of administration and stake- the Pact of Islands signatories. Moreover holders and thus foster local sustainable SMILEGOV helped promote islands as ideal development. test beds for sustainable innovative energy SMILEGOV helped create long-lasting technologies, highlighting the contribution structures of cooperation, giving voice to of these technologies to islands’ balanced island communities across Europe for the socio-economic development. promotion of sustainable development on their territories. More specifically SMILEGOV helped create the conditions for European “Islands are the buttons of the island authorities to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 20% by the year 2020 and Sustainable Europe coat” beyond, by inviting them to participate in relevant EU initiatives (i.e. Pact of Islands) in order to build the necessary capacities The SMILEGOV Team and launch a series of business plans, actions and projects for the effective tran- sition to a low-carbon development path. SMILEGOV finally managed to create SMILEGOV did not come out of nowhere; long-lasting ties among European islands, it built on previous projects and on-go- planting the seed for sustained collabo- ing initiatives and acted as a multiplier. ration and undertaking of joint initiatives, Its added value lies with the approach of leading to the establishment of more per- clustering together a significant number of manent structures of cooperation among European islands, creating economies of European islands. SMILEGOV might have scale and reinforcing territorial cohe- ended, but the fruits from the cooperation sion through the exchange of knowledge established will be long lasting. 1. Introduction and Background 1.1 Islands and Sustainable Energy Islands, whether they are located in the nition that even if islands have different Mediterranean, the Atlantic or the Baltic sizes, population, infrastructure, modes Sea, are remote areas compared to urban of governance, institutional knowledge, areas in the mainland, and are often financial and social structures, many of recognizable as holiday destinations only. their challenges have the same roots and Beaches, local quality products and large are common to some extent. The aspects hotel complexes or just summer houses where it focused on were two of the main are the elements for which islands are common weaknesses -especially small- most known for in people’s minds. islands suffer from: Governance issues Seasonality, fluctuation of population, and human resources and capacity, with radical increase of infrastructures’ use, the aim to strengthen both. energy and water security of supply, as The size and geographical location of well as waste production are consequenc- islands influence these two challenges. es that visitors often don’t even realize, The smaller the population, the bigger is which become challenges for island au- the number of barriers identified at local thorities to deal with in a sustainable way. level, particularly in relation to multi-level In addition, islands face permanent struc- cooperation with other authorities, fund- tural handicaps that lead to market fail- ing, capacity building and daily practical ures and also face lower competitiveness concerns such as energy efficient heating, and higher unemployment rates, which use of local renewable energy resources. lead young people flee to the mainland Further, the existence of a sustainable for better conditions for studies and jobs. energy action plan, or