The MAESHA project, funded under the EU Horizon 2020 programme, is now well into its final phase – a pivotal chapter in an ambitious initiative aimed at decarbonising energy systems across island territories. By integrating renewables, smart grids, storage, and electric mobility, MAESHA has demonstrated how technical innovation and community engagement can create scalable models for a just and resilient energy transition across EU islands.
Greening the Islands (GTI) Foundation has proudly supported the project’s communications and dissemination engagement, helping to translate technical outputs into accessible, compelling narratives. As part of this mission, GTI is now co-organising a new series of high-impact workshops designed to ensure that MAESHA’s lessons extend beyond its official timeline and empower other islands to follow suit.
The first of these workshops took place in Gozo just two months ago, marking a powerful moment of collaboration between GTI and the MAESHA consortium. The event gathered key stakeholders to explore how MAESHA’s approach could be replicated in new contexts. Grounded in local needs and realities, the discussions reinforced a vital principle: that effective energy transitions must be both technically sound and community-driven.
Now, this knowledge-sharing journey continues. The next workshops will be held on the island of Madeira (Portugal) and in Palermo (Sicily) this coming September, chosen for their strong renewable energy ambitions and active local ecosystems, both islands offer fertile ground for deep-dive discussions and strategic exchange. These sessions will bring together regional actors to explore tangible pathways for replication, identify policy and market enablers, and share insights on inclusive island-led development.
These aren’t stand-alone events – they form part of a structured effort to transform MAESHA’s results into a scalable blueprint which aims to:
- Strengthen cooperation among islands with comparable challenges and ambitions
- Test and refine the MAESHA tools and strategies in different geographical and regulatory contexts
- Equip local actors with practical guidance to lead their own energy transition journeys
GTI’s role in co-organizing these workshops ensures they are not just technical sessions, but spaces for strategic visioning and collaboration. True to our mission, we’re working to position islands not as passive recipients of solutions, but as front-runners of the transition.
This momentum will culminate in the MAESHA Closing Event, set to take place in Gozo this October, as part of the 10th edition of the Greening the Islands International Conference. More than a symbolic conclusion, this final gathering will be a dynamic forum to align MAESHA’s legacy with future opportunities.
