Final Report Summary - MEDRES (Cost-effective renewable energy for rural and peri urban areas in the Mediterranean region)
The MEDRES project aimed to propose cost-effective renewable energy (RE) solutions for rural areas and villages in the southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (SMCs). Investigation of the present situation, selection between alternatives and in situ application of the selected models were necessary in order to achieve this objective. Moreover, the project included assessment of the real effectiveness of innovative technologies based on their acceptability by end users, as well as evaluation of the impact of electrification on the socioeconomic development of rural societies. MEDRES major outcomes were summarised in a series of recommendations and proposed strategies.
The increased potential of the Mediterranean for RE production was often underemployed in the past due to institutional barriers and significant application cost. However, RE could provide electricity to isolated communities, mainly in Northern Africa, reduce the necessity of importing expensive fossil fuels and offer alternatives to unsustainable use of biomass. Furthermore, the significant health and environmental impacts of conventional electricity production could be minimised and the Kyoto targets could be achieved. MEDRES outcomes assisted the achievement of all the aforementioned benefits in a direct or indirect way.
The undertaken activities were structured in distinct, yet interrelated, work packages which had the following objectives:
1. Identification, through the use of questionnaires, of the present situation, energy needs, existing barriers and opportunities for RE applications in the areas of interest.
2. Application of RE technologies, namely wind energy and photovoltaic systems, whose various combinations were installed in selected sites and provided data for the elaboration of feasibility studies. The alternative approaches included the novel concept of micro-grids in weak grid branches.
3. Analysis of the efficiency of energy use in households and stores and determination of the effectiveness of the applied technologies based on field surveys.
4. Evaluation of the impact of electrification on development through monitoring of representative indicators, related to the environmental, social, economic, technical and civic viability of the innovations. Evaluation results, combined with assessment of other similar case studies, resulted in the formulation of recommendations regarding the applicability of the proposals.
5. Project management and knowledge exploitation and dissemination.
MEDRES supported decision makers in the SMCs towards utilisation of sustainable development practices. Furthermore, it facilitated future international cooperation for the elaboration of similar projects. Its target audience included experts, decision makers and stakeholders of both the public and private sectors in the EU and SMCs. Knowledge dissemination, via the project website, scientific publications, workshops and participations in conferences, was particularly helpful in achieving these anticipated results.
The increased potential of the Mediterranean for RE production was often underemployed in the past due to institutional barriers and significant application cost. However, RE could provide electricity to isolated communities, mainly in Northern Africa, reduce the necessity of importing expensive fossil fuels and offer alternatives to unsustainable use of biomass. Furthermore, the significant health and environmental impacts of conventional electricity production could be minimised and the Kyoto targets could be achieved. MEDRES outcomes assisted the achievement of all the aforementioned benefits in a direct or indirect way.
The undertaken activities were structured in distinct, yet interrelated, work packages which had the following objectives:
1. Identification, through the use of questionnaires, of the present situation, energy needs, existing barriers and opportunities for RE applications in the areas of interest.
2. Application of RE technologies, namely wind energy and photovoltaic systems, whose various combinations were installed in selected sites and provided data for the elaboration of feasibility studies. The alternative approaches included the novel concept of micro-grids in weak grid branches.
3. Analysis of the efficiency of energy use in households and stores and determination of the effectiveness of the applied technologies based on field surveys.
4. Evaluation of the impact of electrification on development through monitoring of representative indicators, related to the environmental, social, economic, technical and civic viability of the innovations. Evaluation results, combined with assessment of other similar case studies, resulted in the formulation of recommendations regarding the applicability of the proposals.
5. Project management and knowledge exploitation and dissemination.
MEDRES supported decision makers in the SMCs towards utilisation of sustainable development practices. Furthermore, it facilitated future international cooperation for the elaboration of similar projects. Its target audience included experts, decision makers and stakeholders of both the public and private sectors in the EU and SMCs. Knowledge dissemination, via the project website, scientific publications, workshops and participations in conferences, was particularly helpful in achieving these anticipated results.
