Filenews 28 March 2023
Cyprus is ranked as the poorest country in the European Union in the European Union, the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Andreas Gregoriou, said on Tuesday, noting that "the water needs are many times greater than the capacity of its natural water resources, which depend solely on rainfall".
In a greeting at a Press Conference for the 17th Energy Saving Exhibition "Savanergy" and the 14th Exhibition of Water and Environment Technologies, "Envirote", Mr. Gregoriou said that "we are in a semi-arid region that suffers from frequent and widespread droughts and a permanent state of water scarcity while climate change has already affected our region with rainfall having decreased significantly, with more than 40% reduction in surface runoff".
He added that "taking into account the long-standing problem of water scarcity in Cyprus and the frequent and gradually increasing droughts due to climate change, a sustainable strategy for water resources is being promoted within the framework of an integrated environmental policy".
Mr. Gregoriou said that the aim of the above "is to ensure the fullest possible coverage of water needs for domestic, agricultural, industrial, environmental and other uses, to the maximum extent possible, through the optimal and sustainable use of conventional and unconventional water resources and to ensure the quality and protection of water resources and the environment".
He went on to say that "within the framework of the policy for the sustainable development, protection and management of water resources, important projects are being implemented in the fields of water supply, irrigation, sanitation and recycled water".
As Mr. Gregoriou said, "the main axis of this policy is the implementation of the European Acquis and in particular the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Floods Directive, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, etc."
He added that "in order to address the problem and improve the reliability of water sources for domestic and irrigation uses, the optimal use of unconventional water resources, such as desalination and water reuse, is promoted."
Mr. Gregoriou explained that "in particular, with the development of desalination plants, the dependence of large urban, peri-urban and tourist centers on drinking rainwater has been eliminated. An effort is being made, through research and development, to integrate renewable energy sources into the production of desalinated water.
Concluding, he said that "the reuse of water, which has been applied for more than 20 years in Cyprus, provides significant protection from drought and reduces the dependence of water supply on weather conditions while also contributing to the country's strategic goal in terms of adaptation to climate change and risk prevention, water balance management and circular economy".
On behalf of the Minister of Energy, George Papanastasiou, the Director of the Department of Industry and Technology of the Ministry, Christos Fotiadis, in his own greeting said that "the share of energy from Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the total gross final energy consumption of the Republic of Cyprus in 2021 amounted to 18.42% explaining that "regarding the heating-cooling sector, the percentage of RES in 2021 reached 41.34%, exceeding the indicative target set the National Energy and Climate Plan.
Regarding the power sector, the share of RES, Mr. Fotiadis stated that "in 2021 it amounted to 14.84%, recording an increase of 2.8 percentage points compared to 2020 when it was 12.04%".
He added that "in 2021 there was a large increase, of 59%, in the production of electricity from photovoltaic systems, due to the installation of a large number of systems for both commercial and self-consumption purposes.
In addition to the above, Mr. Fotiadis stated that "in 2021 the objectives of our National Energy and Climate Plan have also been achieved, in terms of energy saving during end-use".
Specifically, he continued, "the National Primary Energy Consumption amounted to 2.31 Mtoe and the National Final Energy Consumption to 1,68 Mtoe, and was lower than the indicative course set in the NECP for 2021.
As Mr. Fotiadis said, "the implementation of the national Energy Plan for 2030 is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the European Structural Funds, the Just Transition Fund and the national budget, while at the same time during its implementation, every effort is made to mobilize private investments".
He added that "in total for the seven-year period 2021-2027, the Ministry of Energy secured European and national resources of €370 million. to lead Cyprus to the green transition".
As part of this transition, Mr. Fotiadis said, "reforms are included regarding the introduction of green taxation, the liberalisation of the electricity market, the facilitation of energy renovations in buildings and the acceleration of electric mobility".
It also includes "sponsorship schemes for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources targeting households, businesses, industries, municipalities, the wider public sector and non-governmental organizations, as well as green projects in schools, camps, universities, hospitals and central government buildings", added Mr. Fotiadis.
Concluding, he assured that on the part of the Ministry of Energy, "all necessary measures are taken, always with the priority of encouraging and mobilizing investments that contribute to green growth and the achievement of national goals and obligations".
The President of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB), Antonis Antoniou, referred to the two exhibitions, who said that the "SAVENERGY" exhibition "was established as the most important commercial event in Cyprus that promotes and promotes technologies and services for energy saving and renewable energy sources". He also contributed "to thousands of our compatriots to take advantage of state sponsorship schemes and significantly reduce their energy costs."
Referring to the "ENVIROTEC 2023" exhibition, he stated that "it is also the most important initiative in Cyprus, which aims to promote and promote products and services that protect the environment, save, improve water quality and contribute to the reduction of environmental burden and the optimal utilization of water resources". He invited citizens to visit the exhibition to be informed and to make use of the innovative products that will be exhibited".
As the President of OEB said in the context of the two exhibitions "SAVENERGY 2023" and "ENVIROTEC 2023", OEB co-organizes a Conference on "Green Transition and Entrepreneurship - Opportunities and Challenges towards a Sustainable Economy" on April 7, 2023 from 14:00-17:00 p.m. in Hall A, at the Cyprus International Fair.
He added that "at the Conference, the Ministers of Commerce and Transport "will present the policies and programs of their Ministries for the green transition and sustainable development, while distinguished speakers from the public, academic and private sectors will analyze the challenges and opportunities that the path to the green transition will create".
Concluding, the President of OEB said that "the inauguration of the exhibitions will be held by the Minister of Energy, George Papanastasiou, on Friday, April 7, 2023 at 17:30 at pavilion 6 of the Cyprus International Fair.
Finally, in her address, the President of the EAC Board of Directors, Despina Panagiotou Theodosiou, who hosted the Press Conference, said that "to date, EAC's electricity generation is mainly based on liquid fuels, the Authority, however, "is already implementing its plan for the installation of Photovoltaics, as part of the broader policy for the production of electricity from Renewable Energy Sources".
He explained that "the projects in the field of RES in which EAC invests are projects of national dimensions and vital for our island and in this context, in addition to the photovoltaic park in Tseri, the photovoltaic park in Akrotiri, Limassol, will soon be put into operation.
At the same time, EAC's President said, "the development of a large Photovoltaic Park in the area of Achera is progressing, while other projects are in the study and development stage. The implementation of these parks, he continued, "will contribute to the containment of electricity prices and the significant reduction of pollutant emissions".
In a parallel action, EAC, said its President, "utilizing its know-how and experience and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, installed photovoltaic systems in 405 schools in Cyprus". He noted that this is "a project that constitutes an important step for the energy sustainable future of our country, a necessity that is highlighted and transmitted in the strongest way to our young people, through this initiative".
In addition, "in cooperation with the municipalities and communities of the country, EAC proceeded to the replacement of energy-intensive street lighting lamps with new technology LED lamps, a project that already contributes positively to the energy saving sector.
In addition, Mrs. Theodosiou continued, "EAC is aligned with the goal of sustainable energy development, monitors cutting-edge technologies and takes part in various European research and innovation programs". It also "actively participates in presentations in organized groups and schools, carries out information campaigns promoting energy saving, and participates in specialized exhibitions such as OEB's SaveEnergy".
In her greeting, Mrs. Theodosiou said that "the transition to green energy and the reduction of greenhouse emissions is a top priority", noting that "energy storage is imperative as Cyprus is isolated and has no electrical interconnection with other systems".
He added that "with electricity being the critical substrate of any social, business and economic activity in general, EAC's goal is to provide this good at the most affordable price possible, but Cyprus' dependence on fossil fuels makes it difficult to achieve this goal".
For this reason, he said, EAC's President, the Authority, "intensifies its efforts, claiming the role it deserves in the development of RES projects, thus contributing to the achievement of Cyprus' 2030 targets, while creating the conditions for a potential reduction in the price of electricity".
CNA
