Autonomous Solar Cheese Factory, Madares

Present:  10 livestock farmers from Anopolis, Sfakion, the Rector of the University of Crete, Prof. I. Pallikaris, the Mayor of Sfakion, Mr. Sifis Lykos, the Deputy Prefect of Chania, Mr. Konstantinos Gyparis, the mechanical engineer, Mr. Manolis Benioudakis, Messrs. Konstantinos Hatzidakis (beekeeper) and Manolis Paterakis (livestock farmer) from Rethymno and Mrs. Varvara Terzaki.

Mr. Pallikaris referred to the activities of the University of the Mountains and specifically to the establishment of the autonomous solar cheese factory in Madares, while Messrs. Hatzidakis and Paterakis, who took the floor afterwards, emphasized the importance of such an intervention as a model sustainable development model. In turn, Mr. Benioudakis presented the technical study he has prepared for the construction of the autonomous solar cheese factory after discussions he had with local farmers and the presentation was followed by a discussion. The Mayor of Sfakion referred to the development issues of the Municipality and the previous interventions that have been made in this sector, judging this specific project as excellent and proposing that the autonomous solar cheese factory units be purchased by the Municipality, placed in the cheese factories and delivered free of charge to the farmers for use. The deputy prefect, Mr. Gyparis, also expressed his positive opinion about the initiative.

At the end of the discussion, the decision was made jointly that the first units of the autonomous solar cheese factory would be financed by the Municipality of Sfakion, while Mr. Benioudakis committed to immediately present the final price and the final technical characteristics of the autonomous solar cheese factory.