Clean energy for EU islands

There are more than 2 200 inhabited islands in the EU. Despite having access to renewable sources of energy, such as wind and wave energy, many of them depend on expensive fossil fuel imports for their energy supply.

The Clean energy for EU islands initiative, launched in 2017, provides a long-term framework to help islands generate clean energy. Its benefits include

• lower energy costs and greatly increased production of renewable energy
• construction of energy storage facilities and demand response systems, using the latest technologies
• better energy security for islands, which will be less reliant on imports
• improved air quality, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less impact on islands' natural environments
• new jobs and business opportunities, boosting islands' economic self-sufficiency

The initiative builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in June 2020 by the Commission and 14 EU countries with large island populations: Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

In 2018, the Commission, in cooperation with the European Parliament, set up the Clean energy for EU islands secretariat to deliver the objectives of the initiative.

The secretariat acts as a platform to exchange best practices, provides dedicated capacity building and advisory services to islands and advises the Commission on policy and regulatory issues for the clean energy transition on islands.

It also supports the implementation of the cooperation structure agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding of June 2020 regarding the establishment of a long-term structure for supporting EU islands in their energy transition. The objectives of the initiative are to support islands in their transition agendas, promote the participation, engagement and empowerment of citizens, facilitate the creation of renewable energy communities and promote projects and exchange of best practices.

In its third phase, running from 2023 – 2027, the secretariat aims to provide technical support to 30 islands or groups of islands for 3 years to propel them towards the ambitious target of achieving complete energy independence through 100% renewable sources by 2030. It builds on the experience of the first (2018-2020) and second (2021-2022) phases. 

In 2024, the secretariat published a study with key recommendations and guidance to support the integration of increased renewable energy production and storage on EU islands, while ensuring system stability and security of supply. It builds on a 2023 study by the secretariat on regulatory barriers and recommendations for clean energy transition on EU islands. 

To provide island transition teams with tips, guidance, and inspiration on how to involve, liaise, and include stakeholders in all stages of the clean energy transition, the secretariat published an engagement guide in 2023. 

Contact the secretariat: infoeuislands [dot] eu (info[at]euislands[dot]eu).

The Clean Energy for EU Islands Forum takes place regularly since 2017.

The forum, organised together with a technical fair, provides EU islands and other EU initiatives the opportunity to share best practices and showcase innovative projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency and research and innovation.

• Study on connection policies and management of energy systems under conditions of asynchronous generation in the non-interconnected islands (2024)
• Clean energy for EU island engagement guide (2023)

• Study on regulatory barriers and recommendation for clean energy transition on EU islands (2023)
• Clean energy for EU islands - Islands Clean Energy Transition Handbook (July 2022)
• Clean energy for EU islands - Technology solutions booklet (October 2021)
• Article: EU islands and the clean energy transition (EN | FR | DE | IT | ES | PL, July 2021)
• Clean energy for EU islands (website)
• Clean energy for all Europeans package