ENVIRONMENT: Cyprus faces significant challenges for renewable energy

Despite substantial interest, the ability to link renewable sources of energy to Cyprus’ electricity grid remains limited due to a shortage of electricity storage systems, Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis has conceded.

 Speaking to a parliamentary committee on the Ministry’s budget for 2019, Lakkotrypis outlined the Ministry’s plans to launch new schemes aimed at subsidising the use of renewable energy by homeowners so that Cyprus could achieve its 2020 targets.

He said applications for solar panels for commercial use reached 400 megawatts, with procedures for 90 MW of the total 120 MW at an advanced level while a new tender will be launched that would increase the capacity to 200 MW.

He noted, however, that this is the maximum capacity that could be linked to the grid so that no problems concerning electricity storage arise, adding that the Ministry is in contact with the Cyprus Transmission System Operator.

The EU 2020 target for Cyprus for renewables is set at 13% and 10% in Transport, with the actual share of renewables in energy consumption amounting to 9.3% and 2.63% in Transport in 2016-2017.

Lakkotrypis said the Ministry is considering incentives for electric vehicles but said the target in transport would be mainly reached with the utilisation of biofuel.

The Ministry is exploring a new set of incentives for a scheme to promote energy efficiency, apart from the one encouraging heat insulation.

The aim is to launch a new scheme for solar water heaters in houses and house solar panels.

So far, solar panels have been installed in 12,000 houses via previous subsidy schemes.