Gran Canaria advances towards the confirmation of its geothermal resource with the entry into a deep exploration phaseAfter months of surface drilling, the public-private initiative Gran Canaria Geotermia, with technical support from the New Zealand consulting firm JRG Energy, is fine-tuning its model of the Southeast subsoil to select the most promising drilling sites.
The calendar places the first poll in the first semester of 2026, with perforations of between 2,5 and 2,7 kilometers, an estimated duration of one to two months and an approximate cost of 9 millones de eurosIf the results confirm the potential, the island could be the first in Spain to generate electricity through geothermal power plants.
Current phase and roadmap
Once the surface studies are completed, data validation and integration begins to build a conceptual model of the subsoil in the Southeast region and minimize uncertainty before drilling.
This phase includes the selection of priority areas, engineering design, and planning of the logistics and safety of the drilling, with three exploratory drillings. planned sequentially as the results come in.
The Island Council frames the project in its strategy of Ecoisland, aimed at strengthening sustainability and self-sufficiency, with special emphasis on managing the technical and environmental risks inherent in this type of campaign.
What Involcan and JRG Energy contribute
The Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands (Involcan) has carried out the most comprehensive surface campaign to date on the island, with geochemical, geophysical and geological work in the authorized area and the participation of more than thirty specialists.
On this basis, JRG Energy assumes the technical direction of the new stage: validating and integrating the data, delimiting locations of interest for the surveys, and transfer knowledge to Canary Islands technical staff to consolidate local capacities.
The international team will apply methodologies proven in other geothermal countries, in a global context with around 16 GW of installed geothermal capacity, taking as reference good practices in safety, engineering and quality control.
Where is the potential and what has been detected?
The studies narrow down the area of ​​greatest interest in the Southeast of Gran Canaria, between the municipalities of Telde, Ingenio, Agüimes and Valsequillo, where signals compatible with medium-high enthalpy resources have been identified.
In that area, indications of temperatures in the range of 150 to 200 ºC, sufficient values ​​to propose electricity generation if the conditions of depth, flow and permeability allow it.
Officials stress that this is clues and not certainties, and that deep drilling will serve to confirm the model, calibrate the location of the following drillings and specify the technical and economic feasibility.
Costs, deadlines and scope of the surveys
The first survey is planned for between 2.500 and 2.700 meters deep, with an expected duration of one to two months and an estimated budget of 9 million euros, in line with the technical complexity of the island's subsoil.
The result of this drilling will allow the location of the second and adjust the geological and hydrothermal model, so that it is optimize times and costs and uncertainties are reduced in successive stages.
The programming adopts a stepwise logic: each advance in depth is compared with the surface data to decide, with greater precision, the next window of opportunity to drill.
Financing and regulatory framework
The current phase has an initial budget of around 30 millones de euros, with public-private contributions in which the support of the Representative.
Within the framework of state aid for deep geothermal energy, the IDAE allocated resources to projects in the Canary Islands, including 15 million for Gran Canaria, intended for exploration and research activities through surveys.
The central government is still studying the remuneration regime specific, pending the technical results of the surveys; the sector notes that this definition would provide visibility into the economic viability of future plants.
Energy impact and next steps
If the resource is confirmed, geothermal energy would contribute 24/7 base energy, manageable and independent of time, with the potential to reduce the use of fossil fuels and improve the security of supply of the island's electricity system.
The project would consolidate local technical knowledge and could favor more stable costs generation, opening up industrial and qualified employment opportunities linked to the geothermal value chain.
According to those responsible, the combination of surface data, integrated analysis and phased surveys will allow a scientific decision to be made on the continuity of the geothermal development in Gran Canaria from 2026.
With a clear roadmap, specialized technical partners and institutional support, the island enters the stage that will clarify whether its underground heat can be translated into renewable and stable electricity, and under what timeframes and conditions it could be deployed on a large scale.
