A Methodology for Energy Planning in Small Mediterranean Islands, the Case of the Gozo Region

Mediterranean islands are heavily dependent on fossil fuels and have to deal with specific problems such as small-scale generation of electricity, high distribution costs and underutilization of Renewable Energy Source (RES) potential. These challenges result in high energy costs and CO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> emissions. In order to promote a shift towards cleaner energy systems, islands have to invest on RES and smart solutions for sustainable energy supply. The present study examines the feasibility of RES introduction in the Maltese energy system. The research firstly assesses the island's RES potential, the environmental constraints and the energy consumption. Secondly, it analyses the feasibility of increasing the RES penetration in the local energy grid by means of the EnergyPLAN software. The outcomes of the simulated energy scenarios considered different energy mix layouts and the environmental and technical constraints. Lastly, the study analyses the possibility of achieving the ambitious target of 100 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">%</sup> RES share.