Kafireas, our calling card for sustainability in Greece

Being sustainable doesn’t just mean reducing our impact on the environment; it also means making a tangible contribution to the socioeconomic development of the areas where we operate, building positive and long-term relationships with the local communities. Our wind farm in Kafireas, active since 2019 on the island of Evia and a cornerstone of the energy transition in Greece, is a model of sustainability that creates shared value through initiatives and activities that benefit the inhabitants and the surrounding ecosystem. Students from the HEC Business School in Paris visited the plant in April to see for themselves. Protecting biodiversity Alongside the plant, which is composed of seven wind farms, we’ve launched three reforestation projects on the island, the most important of which is Kastanologgos, a centuries-old chestnut forest located at around 1000 meters above sea level on the eastern slope of Mount Ochi. This “natural monument”, which holds a special place in the hearts of the local inhabitants, was at risk of extinction due to climate change and excessive land use, which had reduced its size by 40%. Thanks to our program, promoted together with the local authorities for a total investment of 2 million euros, today the forest is experiencing a rebirth on a total surface area of around 100 hectares, with 30,000 new native species and a widespread irrigation network. “We’ve learned about how EGP intervened to save Kastanologgos and the value of this economic sustainability model,” explains Gloria Steinmark, one of the 55 students from France. “Seeing this wind farm is a dream come true,” adds another student, Anton Escoffier, “I realized the importance of the new energy and the complexity of the infrastructure, thanks to the information from the Enel Group.” In line with the UN’s 2030 Agenda From its conception, the design of our plant was based on sustainability criteria in line with the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Even in the construction phase, we achieved total energy self-sufficiency thanks to photovoltaics, making Kafireas a zero-emissions site. All of the materials were recycled or reused in compliance with the most rigorous environmental standards, from the excavation equipment that was used for the restoration of a disused quarry, to wooden pallets donated to repair stables and farm buildings. At the same time, constant dialogue with the local population and the promotion of initiatives to support beekeepers and shepherds created further shared value with the local economy. Thanks to this approach, we were included in the Net Quality Foundation’s Sustainability Yearbook for the Greek market, while in 2018 we won the Ecorec Award for best practices. For us, sport also generates shared value. In 2020, we hosted a race of the Mountain Bike National Championship – the first time a wind farm had served as the venue for such an event in Greece – transforming our wind farm into a stunning circuit through the natural area of Milia and the Kastanologgos forest. In addition to contributing to the local economy, the event raised awareness of our sustainable development model based on renewables among the participants and tourists who had come to the island to watch the race. Looking after the local area, providing a positive impetus to the local economy and communities wherever we work is a priority and an ongoing commitment for us.

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Kafireas, our calling card for sustainability in Greece

Kafireas, our calling card for sustainability in Greece

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