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Off-grid power in Crete

At 8,336 KM2 Crete is the largest and most populous Greek island with its own history, distinct from Greece. The population of 623,000 includes Heraklion, one of Greece’s largest cities with 211,000. Its GDP is 94 billion euros representing  5% of the Greek economy and a GDP  per capita of 17,800 euros equalling 68% of the Greek average per capita income. 

Crete although very ‘Greek’ is far from the Greek mainland and has a very distinctive history of its own. Starting as the first Greek civilisation dating back 2,700 years  BC with Minoan culture Crete is contemporary with ancient Egypt and Babylon. It was subsequently immersed in a wider Greek culture and was occupied by the Romans as an important transit point for the eastern Mediterranen and the Levant. It was subsequently occupied by the Byzantines, the Arabs,  Venetians (see much of their architecture)-, Ottomans and finally ‘independence’ in 1898 with British control until 1913 when it became part of Greece.

It suffered terribly during the second world war and subsequent civil war. Many Cretans migrated to the US, Canada and Australia and the island remained very poor until the coming of mass tourism in the 1960’s. Most tourists come from Britain, Germany, Holland and the Scandinavian countries. Many have become expatriates on the island either as retirees or establishing and operating businesses as diverse as bars and real estate.

The island is very mountainous and communications can be very difficult. The highest mountain is 2,456 metres, twice the height of the UK’s tallest mountain. There are 30 summits of above 2,000 metres which makes conventional power transmission difficult and expensive. Certainly it would have been a factor in 1950’s of migration from the villages in the mountains.

In terms of power generation Crete has always been remote from Greece despite a massive rise in demand for electricity because of mass tourism. In recent years the power stations driven by diesel and crude oil have been supplemented by wind and solar.

PPC the Greek power utility has constant problems with capital purchases and during the summer months they are using private power generators  and even hiring from Belgium. Solar is a real alternative and Offgridinstaller is able to offer offgrid installation in remote and mountainous rural areas, to hotels and air B and B as well as camping sites and mountain villages reducing the need to transport diesel to rural areas.  Also energy prices are high in Greece 0.17 to 0.23 cents per kWHr so payback can easily be achieved within 8-9 years and customers can ensure energy security. The northern side of the island is typically Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool or even cold winters. The southern side separated by high mountains has a north African climate with very hot summers and warm winters but also very high levels of solar radiation – the highest in Greece.

Energy costs are high in Crete because diesel oil and crude oil have to be imported onto the island for the local power stations.

Its estimated that by 2050 80%of energy needs could be met by renewables but ‘solar on roofs’ and even PV solar parks will still only play a small part in total energy supply. 

In Crete minimum cost of energy is 0.203 euros per kWHr.

An Interconnector HVAC Cable of 250 mW is due to be completed by 2025 to be followed by the Eurasian cable from Israel and Cyprus with a 1,000 and 2,000 mW cables. Power will be generated using natural gas near to Cyprus but so far there still a dispute between Turkey and Cyprus on who owns the gas.

Power Generation 2017

                    Capacity mW          mWHrs

Crude Oil     372           1,749,299

Diesel Oil     452   617,000

Wind     200   512,000

PV       80             140,000

Power Production 2017 compared 2050 GWHrs

Year    PV ROOF PV  SOL CONC WIND GRID   TOTAL

2050    185   82.5              103          950    2930    4272

2017    164   512

Production capacity 2017 compared 2050 mW

               PV   PV Roof   Solar Concentrate  Wind Grid  

2050     100        50                  50                      250  900

2017       78                   200

In addition there is another  17.21 mW of solar on roofs

The Interconnector will provide a third of Cretes’ power needs and allow renewable energy to be transported to Ahtens and beyond. Funding is from a loan of Euros 178 million from the European Investment Bank. 

Despite ambitious plans for Cretan energy supply, capital is still in short supply but meanwhile the island is a massive resource for solar energy and Offgridinstaller is available to exploit that energy supply to satisfy all power needs.

Bibliography

Energy Strategy of Crete – Strathclyde University, Engineering Dept.

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