Coupling energy storage and renewable energies for enhanced grid resilience against blackouts on Islands
Even though human beings have overcome many of the impacts of geographical distance thanks to ever more advanced and efficient information and communication technologies, transport systems and energy supply infrastructures, we have not yet found a seamless, low-cost way to connect the electricity systems of islands which are separated by water. Connecting islands by putting cables on the seabed is possible but very expensive, especially at long distances. There is no wireless solution in sight “beaming” electricity from one island to the next. For these reasons enabling islands to balance at every moment their total electricity generation and total electricity demand, at an affordable cost for the electricity users of the island and by using volatile, renewable energy sources is a big operational challenge. However, the rapidly decreasing costs of renewable energies can now allow islands to use sustainable energy generation even in remote island areas, without the need of being connected by expensive high voltage cables. The namesake of the TILOS project, and the island Tilos, have vowed to make this dream of energy independence initially for parts of the islands and eventually for the whole island a reality.
