Cyprus faces urgent calls to develop a comprehensive long-term energy strategy that integrates energy security, affordability, renewables, water security, and economic growth under a unified vision for 2040. Key pillars include diversification to reduce reliance on single fuels, accelerating renewable energy and storage, and enhancing interconnection to improve resilience and market efficiency.

The strategy emphasizes accelerating natural gas use as a transitional fuel and exploiting domestic offshore resources responsibly, while moving towards a fully competitive electricity market to lower costs and encourage innovation. Integration of energy and water planning, especially considering desalination’s electricity dependency, is also prioritized to ensure secure and cost-effective water supply.

Strong governance and accountability mechanisms are critical, with proposals for a National Energy Council to coordinate policies and transparent monitoring of progress. Experts warn that without effective implementation, even the best plans risk becoming ineffectual. Cyprus’ future energy system depends on its ability to execute a strategic roadmap balancing security, sustainability, and economic competitiveness.