Canary Island could become world’s first to be 100% green power
MADRID, Spain, 2004-06-23 (Refocus Weekly)
The largest electric utility in Spain will make one of the Canary Islands the world’s first area to be supplied 100% by renewable energy.
ENDESA will invest Euro 24 million to make the island of El Hierro completely
powered by electricity from a hydro-wind power station. The utility says it has
reached an agreement with town council on El Hierro and the Canary Island
Technological Institute.
The project was one of five chosen from 280 initiatives presented at the
European Conference on Sustainable Cities in Aalborg, Denmark. When presented to
the European Commission, the energy group was awarded Euro 2 million to conduct
technical studies and detailed plans.
A 9.9 MW pumped hydro power station with three 3 MW Pelton turbines will be
constructed, with the hydro plant located between two man-made reservoirs at
different levels. Energy from the windfarm will be used to pump water in the
opposite direction.
The project includes a desalination plant that will use water from the
reservoirs, with surplus drinking water to be used for irrigation on the island.
ENDESA will own 30% of a new company, Gorona del Viento El Hierro, which will
construct and operate the facility. The balance of the firm will be owned by
town council and CITI.
El Hierro is an island of 278 km² and a population of 10,000. In 2000, it was
declared a
‘Biosphere Reserve’ by UNESCO for its preservation of the island’s
environment and cultural values, which was the impetus for the hydro-wind
project.
ENDESA has 9 MW of generating capacity at the Llanos Blancos plant on El Hierro,
and expects demand on the island to rise by 5.8% a year until 2011.
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