Cyprus' enduring isolation from the EU electricity grid has slowed the country's push towards its emissions reduction goals, the government has said.
Cyprus' national energy and climate plans (NECP) has a target for a 32pc reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, compared with 2005. The island is part of the EU. The bloc has to reach a goal of cutting GHG emissions by 55pc by 2030, from a 1990 baseline.
The path to achieve these has been hindered by "significant implication challenges from economic constraints, issues around the distribution of capacity and being disconnected from the continental European power grid", the country's agriculture minister Maria Panayiotou told the World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi.
Cyprus is working towards developing an electricity interconnector that would link the country with the European Entso-E grid and with Israel, at a later stage. The Great Sea electricity interconnector project, is crucial for Cyprus as it looks to eventually phase out fossil fuel-fired power generation and improve its energy security.
Works at the first stage of project linking Cyprus with Greece are currently halted as a result of geopolitical concerns. Abu Dhabi's state-run Taqa said earlier this year that it would invest in the project.
Cyprus has abundant solar radiation but there are limitations in integrating the renewables to the existing outdated grids, the minister said, adding that "we need millions to renovate the outdated energy building infrastructure but it has to be done without affecting the social conditions of the people". The minister also joined the wider chorus of having a "just and fair energy transitions as not all countries have the same starting point".
