"The government's efforts are aimed at making Cyprus energy independent," said Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, George Papanastasiou on Tuesday, addressing the 11th Energy Symposium in Nicosia.

However, he underlined that the autonomy of a state is not only related to findings and wealth, whether they are in reserves or elsewhere, but should be combined with infrastructure projects to bring this wealth to the surface and into the markets.

"This is our goal, which is why we insist on infrastructure," he stated.

He stressed that the time has come for energy projects, especially for Cyprus, with its small and isolated energy market. "We are really making a great effort today to formulate and implement a long-term, comprehensive, and sustainable energy strategy," he remarked.

Furthermore, Papanastasiou noted that today we are on the brink of a new energy situation due to events in neighbouring Israel, noting that it is time for Europe to quickly tap into the energy wealth of the southeastern Mediterranean because the region "can provide an alternative energy route to the European continent, encompassing various sources and pathways."

He said Cyprus can serve as the reliable energy source for the European Union in our region, "substantially contributing to addressing the energy crisis and ensuring energy supply. We are convinced, and we are working towards this, that the discoveries of natural gas in the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the wider area, if properly utilized, can be the catalyst for Cyprus to become an energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean", Minister Papanastasiou added.

He further noted that Cyprus shares a common vision with its neighbours and partners, to create a new energy corridor to Europe, in the Eastern Mediterranean, incorporating various sources and energy routes. This corridor, he added, can be achieved initially through the transportation of natural gas, either via pipelines or as liquefied natural gas (LNG) by ships, as well as through the transfer of hydrogen that will be produced in the region in the medium and long term".

Furthermore, he noted that clean, green energy from renewable sources can be exported to Europe through electrical interconnections, such as the connection between Cyprus, Israel, and Greece, as well as the interconnections being studied with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.

"As Cyprus, we have a specific proposal that creates prospects for the establishment and development of this corridor. In any case, the precondition is the acceleration of mature projects and the utilisation of the necessary collaborations for the sustainable development of both hydrocarbons and our renewable resources," he added.

He also referred to the option of importing natural gas to Cyprus through pipelines. If these new plans succeed, he added, Cyprus will secure gas at the low prices of the Eastern Mediterranean for use in electricity generation and for liquefaction in onshore modular liquefaction terminals or in a floating FLNG unit, with exports to Europe and international markets by ship.

Minister Papanastasiou also referred to the global effort to avert climate change.

He referred to the new grant scheme being prepared by the Ministry of Energy, which was announced by the President of the Republic as one of the measures to relieve citizens from high energy costs, under the name "Photovoltaic systems for all". More information about this scheme will be provided in a press conference scheduled to take place at the Ministry on Friday.

The second pillar of the National Plan is the improvement of the energy sector's performance in the country while the third pillar of the strategy, he noted, concerns the creation of the necessary infrastructure to overcome the island's energy isolation, upgrade, expand, and digitalise the network, and promote storage systems.