Share on
Two thousand four hundred islands across the EU share a common vision: a future powered by sustainable energy. It is a future where electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, companies, citizens’ homes, and the island’s electricity grids form cohesive wholes.
This is not a distant dream but a tangible reality that True Energy is bringing to life, in alignment with the overarching goals of the NESOI, the EU’s European Islands Facility, focused on turning Island Sustainable Energy Action Plans into reality.
True Energy and NESOI have signed a partnership agreement to support the common goal. Under the agreement, True Energy will join the NESOI network as a solution provider.
More than 16 million people live on the 2400 inhabited islands in the European Union. The islands are often disconnected from the continental European power grid, leading to common challenges.
Many EU islands rely on imported fossil fuels to power their energy grids. The approach is highly polluting due to the double energy expenses of transporting and using the fuels – often in ageing and inefficient power plants.
This leads to higher CO2 emissions and energy costs up to ten times the ones on the mainland.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are an ideal solution for the energy needs of many islands. They turn energy production into a local source and negate the need to transport fuel to the island for consumption. The growing efficiency of renewables also makes them an ideal investment at a point in time when many islands are struggling to maintain ageing power plants.
However, renewables also come with challenges for energy companies. More fluctuating power generation and increased energy storage requirements often top the list. The potential switch to renewable energy also comes at a time when energy demands are rising, including the need to power the future of transportation – electric vehicles.
The partnership between True Energy and NESOI is targeted to meet the challenges presented by renewables and increased electrification. Core to the approach is leveraging True Energy’s solutions, which turn EVs and other energy-intense equipment into active assets in the energy production and consumption cycle.
Through activating these elements, islands can increase their ability to respond to fluctuations in energy production and demand and minimise the need to invest in new energy infrastructure or use fossil fuel backup generators.
By leveraging comprehensive software solutions, True Energy is not just optimising energy consumption but is also at the helm of revolutionising the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.
The collaboration is set to support the development of Island Sustainable Energy Action Plans, leading to the implementation of RES plants, retrofitting of energy infrastructure, reduction in energy bills, and, importantly, the creation of local job opportunities.
A distinguishing factor in this partnership is True Energy’s position as part of the Landis + Gyr group. Landis + Gyr is a world leader in the realm of energy management solutions. Operating as an entity within the Landis + Gyr family, True Energy taps into an extensive portfolio of products and services, thereby extending its knowledge base and reach to over 3,500 utility companies globally. This strategic alliance enhances True Energy’s capabilities and amplifies its impact across the energy landscape.
From the position within the broader Landis + Gyr framework, True Energy has experienced how the solutions for EU islands may have much wider applications.
Almost 10% of the world’s population lives on islands, and many need the same expertise, technical support, and robust solutions that are at the core of NESOI and True Energy’s collaboration.
That is why True Energy sees the new agreement as more than just a partnership; it’s a movement towards empowering not only EU islands but also leading the global island charge in the transition to sustainable energy.
True Energy is already working with several islands on energy projects. One example is our collaboration with Sev and the Faroe Islands on controlling the charging of all EVs across the islands, thereby supporting our partners’ vision of carbon-neutral energy production by 2030.
See more about the project and the future of energy in our on-demand webinar.
NESOI European Islands Facility is at the forefront of driving the clean energy transition across EU islands. With a focus on turning Island Sustainable Energy Action Plans into reality, NESOI offers a suite of support including training, technical assistance, and funding opportunities. This aims to facilitate the development of renewable energy projects, infrastructure upgrades, and local job creation. NESOI’s stated goal is mobilising more than EUR 100 million of investments in sustainable energy, leading to an expected 440 GWh/year in energy savings.
Central to its strategy is the NESOI Platform, a key tool designed to empower local project development. It encourages collaboration, showcases investment opportunities, and shares best practices, equipping local stakeholders with the resources to actualise their energy transition projects. Through NESOI, EU islands are being equipped to lead in sustainable energy innovation.
