Rethinking islands and their models in sustainable energy planning: How inclusive local perspectives improve energy planning globally

This work contemplates and defines the role of modelling renewable energy, especially on islands, in the transition to sustainable and highly renewable energy systems. It addresses the Paris Agreement by potentially including 80,000 islands with their locally limited and globally relevant role in energy planning. To achieve global targets, also islands need to contribute, yet with limited possibilities and support but with increasing attention. With a particular focus on three case studies, this work highlights general perspectives of islands, their limitations but also their potentials, and the understanding we can gain from them to address energy planning in a smart way. Therefore, the concepts of smart energy systems and islands are elaborated and combined, as well as put into new theoretical context of transition and multi-level governance. This is achieved by looking into the energy system analysis and modelling done on the case studies. This critically reflects on the renewable energy demonstrations and modelling of and on islands; and when including perspectives from and working with the islands, it benefits both islanders and planners in the energy transition. The collaboration with and creation of model islands supports future research and the fight against climate change in a sustainable way.