Halki in the era of energy transition

The projects and interventions that will turn Halki into a place of sustainable and cyclical development, within the GR – eco islands program, were developed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his visit to the island.

Halki is the first island to be included in the initiative, which aims at the energy transition of the islands -especially the smaller ones- through the utilization of renewable energy sources, while upgrading their digital infrastructure.

The parallel green and digital transformation of the islands will radically improve the quality of life of residents and visitors, will turn the islands into environmentally neutral and autonomous areas, reduce the cost of living, will contribute to the creation of quality jobs and the development of new skills, while at the same time it will be an attraction for a new, environmentally sensitive tourism.

Interventions in Halki include the utilization of RES in conjunction with the institution of the Energy Community, the adoption of e-mobility in land and sea transport, and the adoption of digital solutions for education and telemedicine.

Donation of electric cars

The Prime Minister’s first stop was the Halki Port Authority, where he attended the delivery of six electric cars, four donations from Citroën and two from ALD Automotive. Two of the vehicles are patrols and were given to the Police and the Coast Guard, while two others are large capacity cars and were donated to the Municipality to serve the needs of the local community.

Two quick chargers for vehicles have been installed by PPC at the Port Authority, while another double charger has been installed at the port.

Shortly afterwards, the Prime Minister boarded an electric boat donated by the Papastratos company to the Energy Community of Halki. The boat, with a capacity of 10 people and with an autonomy of up to six hours, can be used for tourist transportation and reflects the traditional Greek boat architecture.

By e-boat in the new photovoltaic park of the island

Kyriakos Mitsotakis sailed by e-ship to the point where the new photovoltaic park of the island, with a capacity of 1 MW, is located, which was built thanks to the cooperation of the companies PPC, AKUO Energy and OMEXOM (of the Vinci group).

The Prime Minister inaugurated the new solar energy unit, which will be the first to operate with the method of Virtual Net Metering in collaboration with the Energy Community and the Local Government Organization.

The Municipality of Halki and the local community will manage the photovoltaic park through E.KOIN. In practice, this means that residents and small businesses participating in the ECO will produce the “green” energy they will consume. This will be offset by the supply side reflected in electricity bills, drastically cutting costs and shielding consumers from sudden fluctuations in energy costs.

At the same time, thanks to the penetration of RES, Halki will be independent of the polluting units of neighboring islands and will be free from the difficulties faced by small and unconnected islands in energy supply.

Telemedicine program at the Multipurpose Regional Clinic of Halki

The Prime Minister then visited the Multipurpose Regional Clinic of Halki “Dimitrios Kremastinos”, where with the sponsorship of the Vodafone Foundation operates a telemedicine program that allows residents to access a wide range of primary care services. Residents can take a series of tests that are then sent to specialized doctors at the Athens Medical Center for an opinion.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis was informed about the program and the facilities it offers to the local population at a low cost, while he also connected with the Medical Center of Athens.

The Prime Minister congratulated the participating doctors and pointed out that such digital solutions, fully supported by the government, are of great importance for the remote areas and the remote islands, as through technology the doctor in Halki has access to state-of-the-art services and diagnoses are made that would otherwise be impossible.

He added that in combination with the transportation system, a security framework is created for islanders and visitors.

School with 5G and connectivity infrastructure

Immediately after, Kyriakos Mitsotakis went to the school on the island, one of the many places that enjoy very high speeds of 5G and Wi-Fi thanks to the connectivity infrastructure that Vodafone has installed. The company has also equipped a school room with a range of technological tools, such as computers, tablets and a 3D printer.

“It is our duty to equip the new generation with skills. On the one hand, the acquaintance with technology, on the other hand, the soft skills that the labor market will seek and reward in the future,” said the Prime Minister, while emphasizing that thanks to the fast connections islands like Halki are upgraded in the eyes of both visitors and the “digital nomads” of our time.

“Our islands now, especially the smaller islands, with the power of telecommunications, can become a hub and destination for the arrival of people who will work from the islands all year round. This trend of digital nomads is real. We are already seeing it. “With a proper incentive framework and the right infrastructure, why not spend a lot of time – and in winter, not only in summer – in a beautiful place like Halki”, noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

His students gave him as a gift a 3D map of the island that they printed in the workshop. The Prime Minister thanked them for the gift and promised to put it in his office.

Public lighting with “smart” energy saving systems

Finally, the Prime Minister had the opportunity to see the interventions made by OMEXOM, AKUO and Vodafone for the “green” and better lighting of public buildings and streets in Halki.

The architectural lighting covers the City Hall and the tower with the old clock, while “smart” energy saving systems have been utilized for street lighting, upgrading both practically and aesthetically the infrastructure of the island.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Costas Skrekas, the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister of State, in charge of coordinating the Government Project, Akis Skertsos, the Dodecanese MPs of New Democracy, Vassilas Manos Pappas, the General Secretary of Energy and Mineral Raw Materials Alexandra Sdoukou, the South Aegean Regional Governor George Chatzimarkos and the Mayor of Halki, Evangelos Fraggakis.