Renewable Energy Roadmap for the Republic of Cyprus
Newsletter
Cyprus, a European Union member state since 2004, is at the crossroads of determining how its energy sector, and particularly the power sector, should develop in the coming decades. The island country currently depends on imported oil to meet most of its growing energy needs. At the same time, cost reductions on renewable energy technologies, coupled with abundant renewable energy resources, provide the chance to reduce dependency on fossil fuels while complying with EU renewable energy targets for 2020 and fulfilling the country’s own targets for 2030.
To address these challenges, Cyprus has co-operated with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to develop a roadmap for renewable energy deployment based on detailed demand forecasts, long-term energy modelling and a review of relevant technologies for the grid integration of variable renewable energy.
The resulting Renewable Energy Roadmap for the Republic of Cyprus provides a detailed analysis of deployment options and delivers quantitative insights to assist Cyprus with upcoming energy policy decisions. As the roadmap clearly shows, renewable energy could form a major part of the country’s future power generation mix. Solar photovoltaic (PV) power has already attained prominence, with installed capacity in 2030 expected to reach between 500 megawatts (MW) and 1,000 MW, depending on the scenario. The roadmap also indicates that deployment of renewables could greatly reduce energy import dependence while lowering the cost of electricity generation in Cyprus.
In addition to supporting renewable energy deployment in Cyprus, this roadmap can serve as an informative document for other islands and remote regions that are devising strategies for the optimal deployment of renewable energy.
