IEA PVPS has published a new report that examines what enables islands to successfully transition towards electricity systems with high shares of renewable energy.
The report draws on 11 real-world island case studies, most of which already operate with renewable electricity shares between 80% and 100%. Combining literature analysis, expert interviews and a structured assessment, it identifies 111 individual success factors, of which 13 emerge as key factors across different island contexts.
The findings show that successful island energy transitions depend not only on technical solutions, but on the combination of social, political, technical, economic and environmental factors throughout the project lifecycle.
Key highlights:
· Early preparation is critical to long-term success: Nearly half of all identified success factors relate to the Preparation phase. Early community engagement, resource and grid assessments, political alignment, financing strategies and technical feasibility studies provide the foundation for successful implementation and reliable long-term operation.
· Stakeholder engagement and local leadership are universal success factors: Transparent communication, trust-building and continuous stakeholder involvement are important throughout all project phases. Local champions and leadership figures can help mobilise support, maintain momentum and connect community, political and technical actors.
· Technical solutions need strong enabling conditions: Long-term planning and grid strengthening for variable renewable energy integration emerge as important technical factors, but successful transitions also require political support, financial viability and governance structures suited to local conditions.
