Smaller electricity bills, reduction of environmental pollution, upgrading of energy and telecommunications infrastructure are ensured for the residents of Halki by the GR-eco project that will be inaugurated today by the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during his visit to the island.
The inhabitants of the island, as the mayor of Halki Evangelos Fraggakis points out to APE-MPE, have already started their registration as members of the ChalkiON Energy Community. The Energy Community ensures its members a reduction or even zeroing of electricity bills, by the method of offsetting the energy they consume with that produced by the 1 megawatt photovoltaic park which is a donation from PPC. The benefit is estimated at a total of 180,000-250,000 euros per year, while the “green” energy from photovoltaics replaces the oil production of electricity from the units of Rhodes resulting in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 1,800 tons per year.
“Green” energy in combination with “green” transport, both on land and at sea by electric boat, waste management, 5th generation telecommunication networks are included in the package of actions that compose the GR-eco initiative, which is launched in Halki but will expand to more small Aegean islands. Mr. Mitsotakis made a relevant reference during his speech on Monday at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change COP26, noting that “our pioneering strategy, GR-eco, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 10 million tons, gradually turning our islands into 100% green and energy sustainable, autonomous destinations “.
In particular, regarding Halki, the projects that are being inaugurated were agreed in a memorandum of cooperation signed last July at the Ministry of Environment and Energy with the companies participating in the project. PPC covered the cost of equipment for the construction of the photovoltaic station and installed four charging systems for PPC blue electric vehicles on the island. Akuo Energy and Omexom / Vinci Energies were responsible for licensing, developing and constructing the photovoltaic park. At the same time, these two companies have undertaken the “smart” public and architectural lighting in the town hall and the tower with the old clock of the Municipality of Halki. Citroën and ALD Automotive offer as a donation the electric vehicles to the Municipality of Halki for the upgrade of the fleet of the Police and the Coast Guard. Vodafone Greece has completed the upgrade of the island’s connectivity to 5G, implemented the provision of public, free wi-fi and provides Internet of Things (IoT) services in the municipality. At the same time, the Vodafone Foundation included Halki in the Telemedicine Program that it implements, so that the inhabitants of the island have free access to e-health services. In addition, the Vodafone Foundation created the standard STEM lab Generation Next for the school of Halki and offered the children of the island the opportunity to get acquainted with science and technology (STEM), as well as to take their first steps in programming in a specialist program implemented in the summer.
In addition, a large part of maritime tourism, especially during the summer, will be carried out by the electric boat, sponsored by Papastratos, as part of the company’s initiatives to promote sustainable development practices. It is an electric boat that pumps its energy from the sun, through the built-in photovoltaic panels, as well as with direct power supply. Its design is based on traditional Greek architecture and the boating is done by a family business based in Patmos.
AEGEAN contributes to the event, which will take place in Halki, with a new generation aircraft, which creates a 23% lower CO2 footprint, per seat, compared to the previous generation aircraft of the same type.
The event will be attended by the Minister of Environment and Energy Costas Skrekas, the Secretary General of Energy & Mineral Resources Alexandra Sdoukou, the Ambassador of France to Greece Patrick Maisonnave and other officials.
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