On September 24th, 2025, the ISLANDER consortium came together for a vibrant and inspiring final event, celebrating five years of innovation, collaboration, and transformation on the German island of Borkum. The event marked the culmination of the EU-funded ISLANDER project, which set out to accelerate the decarbonisation of European islands through smart energy systems, citizen engagement, and replicable solutions.

A Look Back: Borkum’s Journey to Sustainability

The event opened with a keynote by Olaf Look from Nordseeheilbad Borkum GmbH, who traced Borkum’s path from a coal-fired plant incident in 2012 to its current role as a model for climate-neutral island development. The island’s goal to become emission-free by 2030 was born out of grassroots activism and has since evolved into a strategic roadmap supported by EU projects like NETfficient and ISLANDER.

Project Overview: Integrated Solutions for Island Energy

ISLANDER coordinator Alfredo Gonzalez Naranjo from Ayesa presented the project’s mission: to demonstrate how integrated grid solutions—including renewable generation, storage, and smart IT platforms—can transform island energy systems. Borkum served as the pilot site, with technologies later adapted for four follower islands: Orkney (UK), Cres (Croatia), Skopelos and Lefkada (Greece).

Technology Showcase: Virtual Tour of Innovations

A virtual tour guided attendees through the cutting-edge technologies deployed on Borkum:

• Hydrogen Storage System: Designed to balance seasonal energy demand, storing excess wind energy in winter for use in summer.
• Seawater District Heating: A first-of-its-kind system using North Sea water to heat a 100-unit apartment complex.
• Hybrid Energy Storage: Combining lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors to stabilize the grid and reduce CO₂ emissions.
• Prosumer Solutions: PV and battery systems installed in 30 homes and 3 buildings, empowering citizens to generate and store their own energy.
• Vehicle-to-Grid Charging Stations: Enabling EVs to act as mobile storage units, feeding energy back into the grid during peak demand.
• Smart IT Platform: A cloud-based orchestration tool using AI and forecasting to optimize energy flows across the island.

Citizen Engagement: Building an Energy Community

Karoline Haack from Steinbeis Europa Zentrum shared the story of Borkum’s energy community, formed through workshops and local outreach. Citizens were empowered to participate in the energy transition, with the first pilot project focused on powering the island’s wastewater treatment plant with solar energy.

Replication Plans: Scaling Across Europe

Kristina Burke from EMEC introduced replication strategies for the follower islands. Presentations from Conor Gilmour, Petros Markopoulos, and Vedran Krušvar highlighted the unique challenges and opportunities in Orkney, Greece, and Croatia. While technologies like hydrogen and seawater heating face regulatory and climatic barriers, prosumer systems, EV infrastructure, and smart platforms show strong potential for replication.

Watch the Event

Closing Reflections

As the ISLANDER project concludes, its legacy lives on in the technologies deployed, the communities engaged, and the islands inspired. From Borkum to beyond, ISLANDER has proven that smart, sustainable, and citizen-driven energy systems are not only possible – but replicable.

The wave of island decarbonisation has begun, and we can’t wait to see the impact it has on European islands!