Around 4% of the European Union's population lives on an island, and most depend on fossil fuels to meet their electricity, transport, and heating needs. This situation not only leads to environmental issues but also gives rise to other strategic and geopolitical challenges.

That said, these limitations also make islands the perfect testing ground for new solutions that aim to create cleaner, smarter, and more resilient energy systems. This context is the backdrop of ISLANDER, an ambitious project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme. CEGASA is one of the eleven organisations from seven different European countries that are participating in this project, which aims to demonstrate that renewable energy self-sufficiency can be achieved in a real-life island setting and replicate these solutions on other insular locations.

What is the ISLANDER project?

ISLANDER is a pioneering European project that aims to transform the energy systems in place on islands and prove that they can become energy independent by using renewable energy sources, storage technologies, and smart grids.

The project's pilot island is Borkum in the German North Sea, and the intention is to completely decarbonise its energy system by 2030. Various technological solutions have been integrated to achieve this target, including distributed generation from renewable sources, small- and large-scale storage systems, seasonal storage, district heating, and an electric vehicle charging network, all managed by a smart platform that balances energy supply and demand in real time.

Commitment to a fully renewable island: the case of Borkum

The German island of Borkum was chosen to become the pilot site for the ISLANDER project with a clear goal: to achieve renewable-based energy self-sufficiency by 2030. To this end, an advanced energy architecture combining different technologies has been implemented:

• Photovoltaic systems combined with lithium-ion batteries in 30 homes and 3 buildings, with estimated annual storage capacities of 194 MWh and 244 MWh, respectively.

• Hybrid storage systems that combine lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors to stabilise the grid and improve its response to energy consumption peaks.

• District heating that uses marine thermal energy to replace traditional systems powered by fossil fuels.

• Five new electric vehicle charging stations to expand the island’s existing infrastructure and promote cleaner and more sustainable transport.

CEGASA plays a fundamental role in this innovative ecosystem by supplying lithium-ion battery storage systems. These solutions make it possible to store the solar energy generated during the day for later use, which facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources and increases the island's energy independence.

Our involvement in projects that take place in real-life settings such as Borkum demonstrates our ability to deliver reliable, efficient storage solutions tailored to the needs of the energy transition in island environments.

Three-wave replication strategy: a Europe-wide vision

From the outset, the aim has not only been to transform the energy system of a specific island, but to create a model that can be replicated in different locations and decarbonise other island communities across Europe.

To this end, the project has adopted a three-wave strategy that will implement the technological solutions tested in Borkum on other islands with different climatic, geographical, and social conditions.

The first islands to follow in Borkum's footsteps will be:

• Lefkada and Skopelos in Greece
• Orkney in the United Kingdom
• Cres in Croatia

The flexibility of the project's technologies and strategies will be tested in a diverse range of settings, paving the way for large-scale implementation. With this replication strategy, ISLANDER is a leading example of how a combination of innovation, sustainability, and cooperation between different countries can be used to manage the energy transition on islands in Europe.

Helping create a cleaner and replicable energy model

The ISLANDER project is not only transforming Borkum's energy system, but also laying the foundations for a new, smarter, and more local and sustainable way of understanding the energy transition on Europe's islands.

CEGASA is proud to be part of this initiative as the supplier of the lithium-ion energy storage systems installed in the island's homes and buildings. Our participation plays an essential role in demonstrating that the technology needed to progress towards energy self-sufficiency is already available and viable, and can be successfully adapted to real-life settings.

The replication of the model on other European islands that each face their own particular challenges confirms the scalability of the implemented solutions and reinforces the role of storage as a fundamental pillar of the energy transition.

We will continue working to promote more sustainable, resilient, and decarbonised energy systems. We believe that a renewable-based future is not only possible but already a reality, and we are there to help make it happen.

The project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement ID 957669.

Eleven partners worked together on the project: CEGASA Energía, S.L.U., AYESA Advanced Technologies S.A., IDENER Research & Development, Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum, Nordseeheilbad Borkum GmbH, ZIGOR Research and Development AIE, Planète OUI, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Network of Sustainable Greek Islands (DAFNI), and Regional Energy Agency Kvarner.