Islands and Outermost Regions at the Heart of Europe’s Energy Future
On 30 September 2025, The European Committee of the Regions in Brussels hosted the TwInSolar Final Policy Conference, gathering policymakers, researchers, and regional representatives to discuss how EU islands and Outermost Regions can boost Europe’s clean energy transition. The event highlighted innovative pathways for achieving energy autonomy, fairness, and resilience in some of Europe’s most geographically unique regions.
“We must free ourselves from Russian gas and ensure a just, affordable energy transition for all,” stated MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral (LinkedIn), emphasizing EU’s energy autonomy as a strategic imperative. He also underlined that citizens’ and businesses’ engagement and the cost of energy is essential for renewables’ social acceptance, and that a fair transition is vital to safeguard competitiveness and guarantee the right to stay for all regions, including islands and the Outermost Regions.
During the event, Regions such as La Réunion demonstrated that long-term strategies can deliver tangible results. “We’ve equipped 240,000 households with solar water heaters over the past 30 years, and we keep installing 10,000 roofs each year,” said Jean-Pierre Chabriat, Regional Councillor in La Réunion (LinkedIn). This sustained effort builds both territorial energy autonomy and a resilient local economy, largely driven by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He stressed that EU policies must include explicit consideration for islands and ORs so that these territories can fully unlock their potential and contribute on equal footing to Europe’s transition.
EU islands are increasingly serving as living laboratories for clean energy innovation; some best practices were highlighted:
- La Réunion’s Terre Sainte University Campus developed solar integration and predictive management aiming to reach up to 80% self-sufficiency through advanced storage technologies.
- The Canary Islands are developing hydrogen hubs.
- Scottish island communities are leading citizen-driven energy projects.
According to Prof. Mathieu David, TwInSolar Coordinator (LinkedIn), “Islands offer opportunities to test complex systems — if it works in Outermost Regions, it can work anywhere in Europe.”
In addition, speakers stressed that outdated grid regulations and fossil fuel subsidies continue to slow progress. Addressing energy poverty and ensuring equitable access to clean energy were identified as top priorities. Collaboration among researchers, local governments, SMEs, and citizens was cited as a cornerstone for scaling successful energy solutions across Europe.
The TwInSolar conference reaffirmed that islands and Outermost Regions are not peripheral — they are pioneers of Europe’s energy transition. Their progress demonstrates how localized innovation and cross-sector collaboration can accelerate the EU’s journey toward a cleaner, fairer, and more resilient energy future.
Acknowledging the contributors:
The conference featured key interventions from:
- Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, MEP and SEArica Intergroup representative
- Edita Dranseikaite, European Commission (DG ENER)
- Jean-Pierre Chabriat, Région Réunion
- Prof. Mathieu David, Université de La Réunion
- Guayarmina Peña, CEO, Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (LinkedIn)
- Cornillie Jan, Coordinator, Clean energy for EU islands (LinkedIn)
- Lucija Rakočević, Energynautics
- Elke Lorenz, Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE
- Gianni Chianetta, Greening the Islands Foundation (LinkedIn)
- Guglielmo Migliori, Head of Energy, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR)
- Joana Rita, Energy Director, Governo dos Açores
- Charis Kordatos, Cyprus Energy Agency
- Valentine Willmann, Scotland Europa / ERRIN
