Islands and energy: a contrasted landscape

The contributions of this collective book address ways to conciliate challenges faced by islands regarding their own specific environment and their energy issues. The authors first discuss the characteristics of energy in islands through a discussion of criteria of analysis of the insular energy issue, an analysis of correlation of criteria, and a characterisation of the insular energy issue. Then, they consider the fragility and assets of islands regarding energy resources: dependence on fossil energies, biomass as a local and multi-faceted local resource, wind resources as a possible solution of problems faced by islands, and solar energy as an under-estimated solution. The third part focuses on electric power production in islands: it discusses whether it is a sustainable solution, how to face isolation with the grid, and opportunities related to new technologies and to environmental stakes. The last part discusses how development policies could be an answer in an insular environment by relating energy policies and insularity, by considering opportunities related to energy needs, and by addressing issues of sustainable energy and demand management