Greece

GREECE

Minoan Energy Community

Minoan EC use case

Type: Hybrid Onshore wind farm

Focus: Energy communities

Status: Viability phase

Founded in 2019, the Minoan Energy Community (MEC) has rapidly developed to become the preeminent energy collective in Greece, evidenced by its extensive membership and range of implemented projects. Central to MEC’s consortium are the largest municipalities of Crete, and the Regional Authority of Crete. In its initial two years, MEC achieved notable successes, completing two significant solar PV projects with capacities of 400 kW and 1000 kW respectively. MEC’s influence extends beyond national borders, maintaining a robust presence within the European Union. As an active member of the European Federation of Renewable Energy Cooperatives (REScoop.eu), MEC’s 400kW PV power plant was honored with the first award at the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) under the ‘Local Actions for Energy’ category. Furthermore, MEC garnered the audience award at the European Commission’s Islands Gamechanger competition during the European Week of Regions and Cities, in recognition of its innovative retrofitting energy study for the Sports Hall and Swimming Pool at Archalochori. In addition, MEC collaborates as a partner on several European projects, such as CreteValleys, LifeLoop, NESOI, SAVE and WENDY. Looking forward, MEC is poised to broaden its scope to include wind energy generation. Preliminary designs and licensing efforts are underway for commercial wind parks. Plans are also in motion to develop a substantial hybrid power facility integrating a pumped storage system and wind parks.

Knowledge sharing events

  • Local champions’ upskilling meetings

  • Social innovation” webinars

  • Training sessions

  • Co-creation workshops

  • Brokerage events

 

 

WENDY tools assessment

  • Social acceptance interventions tool

  • WENDY toolbox

 

 

Wind farms development

  • Design co-existence roadmaps

  • Identification of future replication cases

Hub Managers

Dimitris Katsaprakakis

Short Bio: Dimitrios Katsaprakakis is a distinguished professor in Mechanical Engineering at the Hellenic Mediterranean University, with a focus on renewable energy systems, particularly wind energy. Holding both his Diploma and PhD from the National Technical University of Athens, his expertise centers on maximizing wind farm penetration in isolated energy systems. He has spearheaded numerous research and development projects, authored influential publications in the field, and has contributed significantly to the design and development of hybrid plants and the energy optimization of buildings. As an authority in the domain, Katsaprakakis’s work is recognized internationally, with an extensive citation record reflecting his impact on smart energy networks and sustainable energy solutions.

 

Ε-mail: dkatsap@hmu.gr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitris-katsaprakakis-ab43953a/

Nikolaos Papadakis

Short Bio: Nikolaos Papadakis is an Mechanical Engineering graduate from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds an MSc in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and a PhD focused on the simulation of unidirectional composite materials from the University of Warwick. Since 1998, Papadakis has engaged in a diverse array of scientific research projects across institutions like the Wind Energy Laboratory at TEI of Crete and Warwick Manufacturing Group, with a broad range of mechanical engineering topics including energy, construction, mechatronics, and biomechanics. In 2019, he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineers at Hellenic Mediterranean University. His research interests span simulation, modeling, and statistical data analysis, and he has contributed to numerous national and international research projects.

 

Ε-mail: npap@hmu.gr

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nikolaos-papadakis-b046a717

Eirini Dakanali

Short Bio: Freelancer, external partner at Power Systems Synthesis Laboratory of Hellenic Mediterranean University and member of Minoan Energy Community. Experience in the study and development of wind energy projects, specifically: processing and analysis of wind data measurements and site planning of wind farm projects according to environmental factors. +++++++++++++++++ —— ++++ +++++  xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxx  xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxx xx xx x x x x x x x x  x x x.

 

Ε-mail: dakanali@hmu.gr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dakanali-eirini-120357235/

Country Profile

Needs & Challenges

Domain

Needs

Political

  • Establish well-defined policy frameworks to streamline approvals for wind energy projects.

  • Create stakeholder engagement platforms and ongoing dialogue mechanisms.

  • Formulate a general siting plan for efficient resource utilization.

  • Define criteria for energy communities.

  • Develop a cooperative legal framework for energy communities.

Economic

  • Local economic development opportunities through job creation and increased spending.

  • Incentives and support mechanisms for local community involvement.

  • Eligibility and priority status for subsidies and funding calls.

  • Regulatory measures to address grid disconnections.

  • Review compensation rules for affected parties.

Sociocultural

  • Transparent and effective communication strategies.

  • Community engagement programs and capacity building campaigns.

  • Citizen participation in energy communities and wind projects.

Technological

  • Environmental impact assessments and innovations to mitigate ecological impacts.

  • Use of noise reduction technologies to minimize acoustic impact.

  • Research and development for turbine efficiency and sustainability.

  • Adequate electrical grid and general infrastructure.

Legal

  • Collaborate with legal experts to navigate the regulatory landscape.

  • Create a legal framework for community wind farm projects.

Environmental

  • Adopt sustainable practices to minimize the environmental footprint.

  • Specific measures for safe wind farm operation.

  • Research on impacts on wildlife and ecosystems.

  • Consideration of potential environmental impacts in regional siting plans.

  • Exploitation of recycling potential for wind energy infrastructure.

Domain

Challenges

Political

  • Overcoming regulatory and policy barriers at regional and national levels.

  • Resistance from local stakeholders and community associations.

  • Lack of transparent information channels.

  • Ties between politicians and investors.

  • Regulatory complexity due to rigid laws and unclear criteria.

  • Lack of political will to involve the public.

Economic

  • Economic concerns, including land devaluation and negative impacts on businesses.

  • Exploring synergies between renewable energy and local economic development.

  • Unclear economic benefits of wind energy projects.

  • Addressing information gaps and financing difficulties.

  • High capital costs and unclear eligibility criteria.

  • Lack of economic incentives for energy communities.

  • Strain on the grid and potential impacts on fisheries.

Sociocultural

  • Public perception and misconceptions about wind energy.

  • Lack of understanding and effective communication strategies.

  • Energy poverty and its solutions not well understood.

  • Low public interest and engagement in wind farm technologies.

  • Underestimation of community practices and processes.

  • Lack of motivation for community participation.

Technological

  • Time-consuming environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures.

  • Challenges to grid stability and energy supply.

  • Noise and vibration generated by wind turbine technology.

  • Limited options due to smaller wind turbine models.

  • Inadequate electrical grid support for new wind farms.

Legal

  • Outdated or unclear information about the regulatory framework.

  • Potential delays and conflicts arising from legal ambiguities.

  • High capacity thresholds for energy community development.

  • Rigidity of the legal framework imposed by central government.

  • Lack of avenues for small investors and local initiatives to participate.

Environmental

  • Potential impact of wind farms on local wildlife and ecosystems.

  • Compliance with specific environmental requirements.

  • Collaboration with environmental associations.

  • Careful site selection and mitigation strategies.

  • Lack of guidelines and best practices for decommissioning.

Greek Pilot Case Roadmap

Stakeholder Engagement
Objective • To ensure inclusive and comprehensive involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the co-creation process.
Actions • Compile a list of stakeholders including local communities, government bodies, private sector, and civil society (before planning stage).
• Establish clear, accessible communication channels for stakeholder dialogue and collaboration (before-during planning stage).
Educational Campaigns
Objective • To increase awareness and understanding of wind energy benefits and challenges among stakeholders.
Actions • Launch educational programs and workshops on wind energy, sustainability, and participatory decision-making (before planning stage and initiation of project).
• Organize site visits to existing wind farms to demonstrate best practices and discuss potential impacts (before planning stage).
Participatory Framework Development
Objective • To create a structured and transparent framework for ongoing community engagement in wind energy planning.
Actions • Develop engagement mechanisms such as public forums, workshops, and feedback channels (planning stage).
• Implement community surveys and other tools to gather continuous input and feedback (planning stage and initiation of project).
Community Visioning Workshops
Objective • To articulate a shared vision for sustainable energy and environmental protection within the community.
Actions • Conduct workshops to discuss and define the community's long-term sustainability and energy goals. (planning stage)
• Agree on specific, measurable objectives for the integration of wind turbines into the local energy system (before and during planning stage).
Action Identification and Prioritization
Objective • To identify key actions needed to address challenges and achieve objectives, prioritizing these actions based on impact and feasibility.
Actions • List short-term and long-term actions, focusing on areas such as regulatory updates, community engagement, and environmental assessments (during planning stage and initiation of project).
• Prioritize actions, starting with regulatory and policy adjustments, followed by stakeholder engagement and pilot project initiation (before and during planning stage and initiation of project).
Action Plan Development
Objective • To develop a detailed, actionable plan that outlines responsibilities, timelines, and resources for each prioritized action.
Actions • Specify timelines and assign responsibilities for implementing each action (during planning stage).
• Ensure the plan includes mechanisms for investment, decision-making transparency, and community benefits (during planning stage and initiation of project).
Pilot Project Implementation
Objective • To launch and manage pilot projects to test strategies, engage the community, and refine project approaches.
Actions • Initiate community-involved pilot projects to model broad implementation and refine engagement strategies. (initiation of project)
• Monitor pilot projects for community engagement levels, environmental impacts, and alignment with objectives. (during planning stage and initiation of project)
Feedback and Monitoring System
Objective • To implement a system for ongoing evaluation and feedback to adapt strategies and ensure the project remains aligned with community needs.
Actions • Establish feedback mechanisms to continuously gather community and stakeholder insights (during planning stage and initiation of project).
• Regularly review and adjust the strategy based on feedback and monitoring outcomes (before and during planning stage and initiation of project).
Outcome Evaluation
Objective • To conduct comprehensive evaluations to assess progress towards objectives and the impact of wind energy projects.
Actions • Evaluate the outcomes of pilot projects and overall initiatives against established benchmarks (during planning stage and initiation of project).
• Share results transparently with all stakeholders to maintain trust and accountability (initiation of project).
Roadmap Adaptation
Objective • To refine and adjust the roadmap based on evaluation outcomes and stakeholder feedback to ensure continued alignment with community aspirations.
Actions • Use evaluation findings to adapt and refine objectives and strategies (after initiation of project).
• Ensure the adaptation process is inclusive, with active stakeholder involvement in decision-making (before and during planning stage and initiation of project).

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