Sustainable development and perspectives for ultra peripheral islands

Islands have always been ahead in tackling energy independence and using regional renewable energy sources, as energy imports are costly and also to secure energy provision. To this end and also to conserve their nature and biodiversity peripheral and ultra peripheral islands have successfully harnessed renewable energies and can act as a benchmark for other regions. 

AER organised a conference and study visit on renewable energies on Friday, 27 May 2011 in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, in the Azores (PT). The meeting included presentations of good practice cases from the Azores and a visit to the geothermic park of Sao Miguel in Ribeira Grande, which produces 52% of the islands electricity.

On the occasion of the conference, a specific group for island members of AER was set up. The aim of the first meeting of this group is to identify the main themes that islands would like to address.