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Christina Athanasiou, Pelagia Spyridonidou
Crete is the largest island of Greece, the fifth bigger island in the Mediterranean Sea and is located in the South Aegean. The administrative periphery of Crete, the center of which is Heraklion, also includes the nearby islands Spinaloga, Gramvousa and Gavdos, which constitutes the southest point of Europe. It is an island with a strong morphological diversity and a long coastline that reaches almost the 100 km.
Crete has a rich history, as it has passed by different dominations, each of which has left its traces. One of the most important dominations, Venice, recognizing the strategic location of the island, transformed it into a major cultural and commercial center of the time (1204-1669). This role is maintained until today, as Crete is an important factor of wealth, which mainly derives from tourism and agriculture, for the country.
The mapping research focused on the in-depth analysis of the historic evolution and development in terms of dominations, the settlements, the topography and geomorphological features of the island in combination with the climate, the energy production and its infrastructure throughout the island.
A more thorough research has been conducted for Gavdos, its connection with Crete and the sea area between the two islands. It is of outmost interest the different conditions that this area presents.
See(a)king Autonomy
From the outset, the research focused on the energy production in Crete and the sources from which it derives. One of the main problems detected in this sector, is the lack of energy connection with the mainland, an issue that also concerns the majority of the islands. Given that as a fact, an energy research was conducted towards the direction of an energy-autonomous Crete, which resulted in the conclusion that its geographical location offers much potential in the renewable energy sources field.
More specifically, the southern part of the island and the sea area in between Crete and Gavdos has a great dynamic in terms of renewable energy. The sun, the wind and the waves reach the maximum of their potential in this site, offering the opportunity to generate big amounts of energy with no further impact to the environment.
With these facts in mind, the aim of the project is to create a battery for Crete, supported by wave and wind parks. The suggested floating structure hosts housing facilities, research labs, power stations, so as to collect and diffuse the energy and construction platforms in order to technically support the energy parks. It is about a self-sustained platform which, in a first phase, will supply Gavdos and Crete with the necessary energy, providing autonomy, without sacrificing the surrounding environment. A second phase would be the apposition of this structure in any other site with similar energy characteristics.
Eventually, this will lead to a new viable energy system throughout Aegean and Levantine, the junction of which will be Crete.
©COASTAL DOMAINS 2016-2017