We spoke with the Deputy Mayor of Economic Growth of Chalki, Vasileios Roussakis, about the island's innovative energy solutions and how initiating a solar energy project has completely transformed the island's energy landscape. “We had to deal with many challenges, mainly related to legislative issues that risked slowing down the project progress,” says the Deputy Mayor of Chalki. However, he notes that “due to political will, we were able to speed up the process, and the project was finalised and ready in November 2021.”
Chalki's solar project involved the construction of a solar park and the establishment of an energy community, in which the municipality holds a 50% share. Located far from Chalki's main settlement, the solar park covers 20 acres and has 2,446 solar panels with a capacity of 1MW, enough to power the entire island. The municipality provided the land for free, ensuring that residents did not have to bear the costs.
While initially met with skepticism, with only 38 founding members, the energy community has now grown to over 170 members, with more than 100 applications pending approval as the project is set to expand. “The economic benefit is the most important motive for participation,” says Mr Roussakis, highlighting how the solar project has reduced the electricity bills for all municipalities’ facilities and services as well as for energy community members.
The project is the first-of-its-kind in Greece and has been successful in covering all of Chalki's electricity needs, despite the surge in its population during the summer months, often exceeding 500 visitors daily which puts significant pressure on the island's infrastructure and resources. The Deputy Mayor is optimistic about the future, stating that they “hope to expand the project and ensure that all interested residents can benefit from solar power.”
Beyond the direct economic relief the solar park offers, Chalki's municipality has also been active in raising awareness about energy consumption and usage. Mr Roussakis admits that one of the early challenges of the project was a lack of engagement with the residents, leading to initial concerns among the local community. “As soon as the project started operating, people immediately recognised the benefits it offers,” he says.
Mr Roussakis emphasises the importance of cooperation between municipalities across the Greek islands, urging knowledge exchange and collaboration to replicate similar successes. He believes that citizen participation is crucial for these initiatives to thrive, which is why the Chalki municipality meets regularly with residents and energy community members to discuss and address any issues or concerns.
Looking to the future, Mr Roussakis concludes that “good cooperation on a European, national and regional level, combined with changes in the legislative processes, could significantly speed up the energy transition, making the transition more efficient and widespread.”
