The Chamber of Corfu in collaboration with Corfu Hotels Association and the Network of the Insular Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the European Union (INSULEUR), organized the open event “Energy Investments and Sustainable Tourism-the European Experience, Examples and funding tools” on the 22nd of March 2019 at the premises of the Chamber of Corfu.
Main speakers were the director of ReSEL, Professor Theocharis Tsoutsos and Stavroula Tournaki-ReSEL, as well as Antonia Proka-Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat Project Officer, whilst the coordinator was Giorgos Asonitis - Special Scientist for the Union of Hellenic Chambers Of Commerce, member of the Technical Committee of Insuleur.
Welcoming speeches were addressed by Giorgos Hondrogiannis -President of the Chamber of Corfu, Babis Voulgaris-President of the Corfu Hotels Association, Joseph Borg-President of INSULEUR and President of the Gozo Business Chamber and Giuseppe Sciacca-Executive Secretary of Islands Commission, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions -CPMR.
The event was mainly targeted at businesses and organizations of the tourism sector interested in sustainable mobility and sustainable tourism issues or seeking for practical advice on funding tools.
Main topics discussed at the event were:
Renewable energy cooperatives and Best Practices, a new institution in Greece, towards the promotion of the local renewable energy potential of business cooperations of the public and private sector, which enables self –consumption and enhances local entrepreneurship and energy democracy. The experience from the European initiative REScoop+ Horizon 2020 project as well as Best practices of the European synergies were presented by Professor Theocharis Tsoutsos.
Sustainable Tourism and Mobility, two inextricably linked to each other pillars of islands sustainable development. It is a fact that the seasonality of tourism leads to high demand of energy and mobility service. Nevertheless, energy renovations and sustainable mobility along with better/combined services, the use of clean fuels and promotion of electro mobility can positively contribute to the competitive advantage of the insular businesses. Pilot projects in Greece and Europe from the experience of the European initiatives H2020 CIVITAS DESTINATIONS and nearly zero Energy Hotels-neZEH, were presented by Stavroula Tournaki.
Financing energy efficiency investments in hotels and buildings of the tertiary sector through innovative mechanisms such as Energy Efficiency Contracting, Energy efficiency contracting faces many of the barriers of energy efficiency (EE) and EPC investments in the private tertiary sector, like limited access to funding, accurate design, implementing the project and the validation of energy efficiency. Assessment tools for energy efficiency investments as well as examples of projects from the European initiative Ηorizon 2020 TRUST EPC South, were presented by Stavroula Tournaki.
Energy Transition of Insular Communities-, energy transition to a new era of low carbon emissions for Europe towards 2030 and 2050 emphasizing on energy communities. The role of the Secretariat Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative and the frame which will support the transition towards sustainable, clean and low cost energy in order to achieve higher levels of self-efficiency, prosperity and sustainability, was presented by Antonia Proka.
You may find the event's programme attached.
