“I did not complete the thesis, as the result was clear: life on Astypalea is far more human than in the big city,” the 65-year-old explains. In 1983, he decided to move to the island, where he worked as an architect. Since 2019, he has worn the mayoral chain. We met up with Komineas, who many people know as “Nikos” or “Mayor”, depending on the situation, near his office. Mr Komineas, how did the idea of a carbon-neutral island develop into the “Astypalea project”? It has been a complex process for us. Our small council only has a few employees who are able to oversee a project of this complexity. For me personally, the journey started just over a year ago. Back then, I happened to be at the Ministry of Transport in Athens and told them that I would like to establish a public transport system with electric buses on the island. At the same time, the Greek foreign office, which is also responsible for business development matters, was in touch with the Volkswagen Group and Herbert Diess. Both parties were considering doing something with e-mobility in the Greek islands. Apparently I was in Athens at the right time. So it was that the local council on Astypalea came into contact with the Greek foreign office. We immediately went to work, providing them with information on the island: how many people live here, how many and what kind of cars there are here. After eight months of analysis, the state, together with the Volkswagen Group, gave the go-ahead for the project on Astypalea.
What do you think was the clincher for this project? The fact that car manufacturers like the Volkswagen Group are striving for a comprehensive transformation. In a few years, it could be difficult for many people to own a car. By then, it may be easier to use a car when you need it – for an hour, a day or a week. The future will be to provide public transport and car sharing with innovative software, and thus to generate new business models.