Smiles for Smilegov

We have today received a letter from the European Commission declaring final payment for the SMILEGOV project will be paid within two weeks.

Regarding ESIN, 111.768,54€ in project costs have been found eligible (4,32€ was not accepted). 75% of this sum is a grant from the EU, of which 48,317,00€ has already been paid, and the remaining part 35.309,84€ will thus be paid within two weeks.

Thanks to Kostas Komninos – our Greek project manager from DAFNI – who dragged us through the project from the application phase late 2012 through the seven work packages and into the final payment calrifications.

The project was made possible thanks to her Swedish island organisation SRF, which has been functioning as a bank. I am happy to see we will be able to fully pay back what they have so kindly lent us. Anetté Larm Johansson at SRF has been our Financial Officer, gracefully handling an uneven cash flow, hard-to-understand verifications and complicated regulations.

We have accomplished three things:

– we have helped fifteen small islands – Aran, Arranmore, Bere, Chléire, Iniö, Ischia, Molène, Nagu, Ouessat, Sein, Simskäla, Sottunga, Ven, Vinön and Visingsö – in the development of their energy systems;

– we have proven the ESIN as an organisation can manage a complex operation;

– we have strengthened our financial situation;

In addition to this, the Scottish Islands Federation, who participated as a partner of their own, helped Mull, Iona Arran, Bute, Gigha, Iona, Lismore, Liung, Mull, Eigg, Canna, Rum and Muck to make energy audits.