The increasing world s concern for achieving a sustainable society and the recognition of
enhanced global warming as a consequence of human action has in sustainable energy
practices one of its main bases for solutions. Actual international commitments to the Kyoto
Protocol will force the ratifying countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This
reduction is aimed to be achieved in an economic efficient way. Nevertheless, it should not be
forgotten, that this commitment should just the first step in retrieving the natural cycle of
greenhouse gases. As such the ultimate aim should be an efficient, sustainable 100% renewable
energy sources (RES) system. In order to achieve this social and technological development
are required.
Islands characteristics provide several advantages as laboratory for studying such kind of
systems. In the path to a global sustainable society, islands represent a unique laboratories, to
gain knowledge and understanding of people/ environment relationships, in an international
context and conscious of the current phenomenon of globalisation 2. This is a consequence of
their high level of interdependence between economy, society and environment 3
Tourism, water, waste and energy management will clearly determine island future sustainable
development. Equilibrium between economic development and the carrying capacity of the
islands, its infrastructures and services has to be achieved to prevent permanent environmental
damage.4 Integrated planning practises should therefore be promoted, stimulating intersectoral
synergies and environmental management.5
The energy sector, due to its strategic relevance as supporter of all economic activity, is one of
the main areas on which policies should act to promote a sustainable society:6 Energy selfsufficiency
based on RES is required to avoid money leakage from region, assure supply and
avoid outside dependency, to create better job opportunities, promote local research and
development, to protect the local environment as to comply with international agreements
and, at the end, to achieve a sustainable island community.
In order to be energy self-sufficient, a holistic approach is required; a case specific
combination of RES has to be established. Politicians and researchers play therefore a crucial
role in the design of an efficient system. Once designed, investors and implementation
supporting policies play the key role in building up the system. Energy efficiency measures, as
rational energy consumption requires the island inhabitants participation.
As a result of islands are unique laboratory to research and develop feasible low impact energy
models. In small independent grids, islands small-scale renewable energy technologies
represent rapidly a high percentage of the total energy production. They can serve as
laboratories for combining RES, increasing their penetration in the energy market until
reaching hundred percent renewable energy systems. As these projects represent a small-scale
application of, what hopefully will be the future of all energy systems, they establish a learning
process for further spreading of these technologies, at a cost-efficient way.