Cyprus has once again found itself in the center of international attention, but this time for alarming reasons.
According to data published by the Alithia newspaper with reference to the international platform Electricity Maps, the country ranked among the first in the world in terms of pollution associated with electricity generation. In fact, Cyprus was the dirtiest country in terms of carbon footprint per kilowatt-hour produced.
According to recent measurements, emissions from electricity generation reach almost 850 grams of CO₂ equivalent per kilowatt-hour. The situation was especially alarming in December, when Cyprus found itself in the same group as countries such as Mongolia, Botswana, the eastern regions of India and Poland. The island’s indicators are comparable, and in some periods even worse, than those of states with traditionally high levels of coal and hydrocarbon generation.
The environmental picture clearly demonstrates the main problem - Cyprus's critical dependence on oil for electricity production. Despite the gradual introduction of alternative sources, the share of natural gas and renewable sources remains insufficient. This makes the grid vulnerable and highly inefficient in terms of emissions.
Although official data shows some improvement compared to 2017, the reality remains alarming. Cyprus still lags behind not only the countries of the European Union, but also a number of African states, as well as oil-producing countries that are already more actively diversifying their energy balances.
The problem is especially acute in the evening and during periods of cold weather, when the demand for electricity increases sharply. At such moments, peak load reaches 736–823 megawatts, whereas a few years ago it exceeded 1000 megawatts. At the same time, the high dependence on fossil fuels makes each such jump especially “dirty” from an environmental point of view.
During the day the situation looks somewhat better. During active sun hours, the contribution of solar power plants and wind power reduces emissions to a range of approximately 480–570 grams of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour. However, this is still not enough to talk about systemic changes.
The Cypriot authorities have already announced their intention to change the existing model. Key steps include launching natural gas infrastructure, developing electrical interconnectors with neighboring countries and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy sources. These measures should gradually reduce the carbon footprint and reduce dependence on oil.
However, the current situation clearly shows that the energy transition for Cyprus is not just an environmental trend, but an urgent need. Without systemic and quick solutions, the country risks continuing to remain among the world anti-leaders in terms of pollution levels, despite its status as a developed European state.
Source: omegalive.com.cy
