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It is with great pleasure that I am attending the Annual General and Electoral Assembly of the Cyprus Solar Energy Industries Association and I thank you for the invitation to address you briefly.
It is interesting, I think, that the exploitation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) started in Cyprus in the early 1930s, with the use of windmills for irrigation water pumping purposes by farmers. Eventually, wind energy from windmills was gradually replaced by the more efficient use of electric generators, which used oil.
The second recorded wave of renewable energy utilisation started much later, around 1960, when large-scale construction of solar hot water systems began in Cyprus. The industry that was created managed to flourish very soon, giving us over the years, despite the difficult times, several firsts in relation to the installation and use of solar systems for hot water purposes. Nowadays, every new home and building has solar water heating systems, which also applies to most existing buildings.Today, Cyprus continues to be one of the international pioneers in the use of solar energy for water heating purposes, while according to the European Solar Heating Association (ESTIF), in 2022 our country was again in the first place within the European Union, in terms of installed collector surface per capita.
Today, Cyprus continues to be one of the pioneers internationally in the use of solar energy for water heating purposes, while according to the European Solar Heating Association (ESTIF), in 2022 our country was again in first place within the European Union, in terms of installed collector surface per capita. The contribution of RES for heating and cooling purposes in Cyprus reached 41.34% in 2021, with most of it coming from the exploitation of solar energy through the widespread use of solar thermal systems for hot water.
At present, energy consumption for heating purposes constitutes 50% of the total consumption of the European Union, followed by transport which accounts for 30% and electricity which accounts for only 20%. It is therefore clear that the solar heating sector is expected to make a major contribution to achieving the objectives, not only in Europe but also internationally, towards a fully carbonised green economy.
The World Energy Organisation has predicted that solar thermal energy will meet 11% of the world's industrial heat demand by 2050. At the same time, 1.2 billion homes will have solar water heating systems installed, compared to 250 million homes with solar PV installed.
At the Department of Energy, recognizing this valuable contribution of your Sector to the achievement of the Republic's energy and climate goals, we have been operating since 2008, through the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Fund, Grant Schemes for the replacement or installation of solar water heating systems in existing homes. The Grant Scheme, announced in 2022, had a significantly increased budget compared to previous years' Schemes. The Ministry's intention is that the new Grant Scheme for 2023 will be advertised with an even larger budget and with significant improvements and simplifications. The Plan is expected to be announced within the next month and will be funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, under the "Rapid Transition to a Green Economy" axis.
At this stage, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry is conducting a public consultation on the new Sponsorship Plan, in which I invite you to participate by submitting your written comments online by Friday 30 June.
In any case, allow me to indicate the most important changes we intend to introduce in the new Plan, which concern. [*]Increase in the amount of sponsorship given per beneficiary. [*]Creation of a special category of vulnerable consumers with increased sponsorship, as is the case in the other Sponsorship Schemes related to the promotion of RES and energy saving measures. [*]Modification of the implementation and application procedure, which will be significantly simplified compared to that applied in previous years. [*]Complete digitalisation of the procedure, by eliminating the submission of handwritten certificates issued by the installers and replacing them with direct data entry in the electronic system.
In addition, the installation of solar systems for water heating is recognised as an eligible cost and subsidised by the Ministry also in the context of the 'Save - Upgrade' schemes in homes and businesses.
It is worth mentioning at this point that the Ministry of Energy also contributes to the training efforts of the sector's human resources by certifying appropriate training institutions and examination bodies and maintaining a register of solar system installers, who receive the required training, both theoretical and practical, and take the relevant examinations. To date, 51 installers have been registered in this register.
In Cyprus, as all over the world, we are still facing the negative consequences of one of the biggest crises of the last decades, both energy and economic, due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, by taking a series of measures, the amount of which has now exceeded EUR 440 million, our country has managed to maintain one of the highest rates of economic growth in the EU.
I would therefore like to conclude by assuring you that the Government will continue to actively support the competitiveness and sustainable growth of our economy. To this end, the public and private sectors should continue to work in a coordinated and focused manner to secure the significant investments needed in entrepreneurship and innovation. Only in this way will we be able to make the most of the opportunities offered by technological upgrading, digitalisation, circularity and green energy, precisely to upgrade our industry and create new innovative products and services, as well as new jobs.
I am confident that your Association will continue to maintain the high level of professionalism and business development that characterises it and I look forward to continuing the close and constructive cooperation that we, as a Ministry, have with you.
I am confident that your Association will continue to maintain the high level of professionalism and business development that characterises it and I look forward to continuing the close and constructive cooperation that we, as a Ministry, have with you.
I am confident that your Association will continue to maintain the high level of professionalism and business development that characterises it and I look forward to continuing the close and constructive cooperation that we, as a Ministry, have with you.
