TY  - JOUR
AU  - Sargentis, G.-Fivos
AU  - Ioannidis, Romanos
AU  - Dimitriadis, Panayiotis
AU  - Malamos, Nikolaos
AU  - Lyra, Olga
AU  - Kitsou, Olga
AU  - Kougkia, Matina
AU  - Mamassis, Nikos
AU  - Koutsoyiannis, Demetris
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/05
TI  - Energy Self-Sufficiency in Rural Areas; Case Study: North Euboea, Greece
JO  - Advances in Environmental and Engineering Research
SP  - 025
VL  - 05
IS  - 04
AB  - The modern globalized civilization is sustained by interactions, trade, the transportation of goods, and energy. Energy self-sufficiency is crucial in rural and disaster-prone areas like North Euboea because dependence on external energy supplies can leave regions vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, price volatility, and geopolitical risks. In such isolated regions, energy independence ensures resilience in natural disasters and economic instability. The alternative to self-sufficiency often involves reliance on centralized energy systems, fossil fuels, or external imports, which may not always be reliable or sustainable. Therefore, in this study, we explore the possibility of an area having energy self-sufficiency. As a case study, we chose North Euboea in Greece, explicitly focusing on the Municipality of Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna. The analysis combines local land use patterns, energy needs for inhabitants, agriculture and water requirements. It is followed by exploring various renewable energy sources, including hydropower, biomass, solar, and wind. We considered the stochastic nature of renewable energy production and the challenges associated with energy storage. The findings suggest that while wind turbines and solar panels could be installed in the area and contribute significantly to energy needs, achieving complete self-sufficiency requires careful planning, particularly regarding energy storage and the social acceptance of these installations. The results highlight the need for a holistic approach that integrates environmental, landscape, societal, and technical considerations in designing and implementing renewable energy systems. Additionally, it is highlighted that the available renewable energy from forest biomass (before the 2021 megafire event) could reliably and adequately meet the area's energy needs without requiring investments in photovoltaic parks and wind turbines and without competing with the use of agricultural land.
SN  - 2766-6190
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/aeer.2404025
DO  - 10.21926/aeer.2404025
ID  - Sargentis2024
ER  -