The island of Corvo might be soon the first island to eliminate butane gas in their household heating and cooking appliances.

A contract to replace the traditional water heaters and gas stoves for a type of equipment using renewable energy was signed this morning between the Regional Government and the Vila do Corvo Town Hall at a ceremony presided over by Carlos César.

As the Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea stressed at that occasion, the main goal is to turn the island of Corvo into a demonstration of a global reference of a sustainable energy system, involving several technological components such as the introduction of renewable energy and the reduction of the dependence on oil products.

The use of electrical equipments on Corvo households will be possible with power generation from renewable sources as well as with the implementation of smart grids and the introduction of active demand management systems.

Given its small size – only 17 km2 and a population of just over 400 inhabitants – Corvo is the only island of the archipelago that is totally dependent on fossil fuels (butane, diesel and gasoline), getting these fuels by sea, with high costs and a considerable risk of accident caused by bad weather in the winter.

 As Álamo Meneses stressed, Regional Government is committed to eliminate butane gas consumption for water heating and cooking purposes and to significantly reduce the use of diesel fuel for power generation. We must overcome a series of technical challenges, whose social and economic solutions are yet to be defined.

The implementation and management of smart grids, the active demand management systems, energy storage, energy efficiency and the role of consumers in the energy system are, according to the Regional Secretary, some of these challenges.

The contract signed today, for the replacement of butane gas water heating, is a first and step towards the sustainable development of Corvo.

With this project, Álamo Meneses concluded, “we will also contribute to withhold resources in the Region, reduce our vulnerability to changes in oil prices and enhance the visibility of the goals outlined at the EU Climate and Energy Summit.”