After visiting the potential areas for the project’s innovations, the CRETE VALLEY team met with key stakeholders and residents of Arkalochori at the Conference Center to present the project and its renewable energy solutions for the community.
CRETE VALLEY plans to install a biomass plant, primarily using olive tree prunings estimated at 20,000 tons per year. These prunings will fuel a biomass boiler capable of producing up to 1.6 MWth of thermal energy. The district heating network to be installed will provide heating to homes, municipal buildings, and commercial businesses at significantly reduced costs compared to the current oil-based systems. Notably, the municipal swimming pool will be heated by this new unit, eliminating the current annual heating cost of €250,000.
CRETE VALLEY also plans to inaugurate up to two wind turbines in the Arkalochory area, each with a nominal power of 60 kW. This initiative will be further enhanced by decentralised production of electrical energy from photovoltaics (PV). Combining PV with decentralised storage systems (batteries) is expected to reduce electricity bills for participants by up to 70%.
The event offered the occasion to discuss challenges such as energy costs and energy poverty and show how these issues can be addressed through community energy production.
About 70 people, mainly residents and owners of small businesses in the area, attended the information event. Representatives of the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Minoa Pediada, and candidates for the European Parliament also presented and discussed the opportunities. Members of the Minoan Energy Community, ICCS, and CERTH also participated in presentations and discussions.
The tour continues at Lasithi Plateau and Arvi.
