Agios Efstratios, a small Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea, has 250 residents. It once depended entirely on fossil fuels for electricity, but wind and solar power now supply 91% of its needs. The change prevents about 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The European Union helped finance the project, which is called Ai Stratis – Green Island.
The system combines a wind turbine, solar panels, batteries, and automatic controls that manage energy as conditions change. Batteries store electricity when production is higher than demand. When the wind and solar equipment cannot produce enough, the batteries supply stored power. Electricity reaches residents through the island’s existing network.
During winter, extra renewable power is also used to heat water. Four large tanks store that hot water for heating. Local resident Charalambos Makris, who manages two guesthouses, says the heating is quiet and inexpensive to run, and he no longer needs an indoor boiler. The project serves as a model for other Greek islands. Tilos, Ikaria, and Astypalea are following its example.
