The Canary Islands have enormous potential for the development of renewable energy. However, there are several factors that have slowed down their progress, despite initial advances. The archipelago, which has abundant natural resources such as wind and sun, has not managed to maximize its capacity to generate clean energy. Over the last few years, the region has shown signs of stagnation in the adoption of clean technologies, which has led to very low coverage of energy consumption from renewable sources.
In 2017, only 7,7% of the electricity consumed in the Canary Islands was generated from renewable sources. Why has this stagnation occurred in a region with so much potential for clean energy?
Delay in renewables
The development of renewable energies in the Canary Islands has not kept pace with expectations. Despite having suitable natural resources such as wind and sun, the growth of these energies has been slow. The main reason for this delay has been a series of legal, regulatory and planning obstacles that have affected the implementation of projects. In addition, the lack of a modern energy infrastructure has played a relevant role in the stagnation of the energy transition in the region.
This delay has had environmental and socio-economic repercussions. Most of the energy consumed in the Canary Islands continues to come from polluting sources such as diesel and natural gas, which aggravates the region's carbon footprint. In addition, the population continues to suffer from the high costs of generation through fossil fuels, in contrast to the potential savings that renewable sources could offer.
Impact of the absence of renewables
The impact of the limited integration of renewable energies in the Canary Islands is palpable. According to data from Red Eléctrica de España (REE), In 2017, only 7,7% of electricity demand was covered by renewable sources, mainly through wind and photovoltaic energy.This percentage is much lower than the peninsular average, which is around 25% without including hydraulic energy.
The most notable example in the Canary Islands is the island of El Hierro, which has managed to supply itself with renewable energy for more than 50 consecutive hours thanks to its Gorona del Viento hydro-wind project, a milestone that reflects the immense potential of the archipelago. However, the lack of investment and regulatory adjustments has meant that progress has been too slow compared to the rest of Spain.
The low proportion of renewable energy sources not only affects the environment. It is also felt in the pockets of consumers, who pay one of the highest electricity bills in Europe. Dependence on imported fossil fuels generates high costs, which increases the price of electricity on the islands.
Origin of the problem
The problem of low penetration of renewable energy in the Canary Islands is partly due to the low installed capacity. In 2017, the archipelago only had 319,5 megawatts (MW) of installed renewable energy, which represented 11,6% of the total installed electrical capacity in the region. This percentage is significantly lower than that of the Peninsula, where renewables cover 51% of the installed capacity..
The lack of water resources in the Canary Islands is also a factor to take into account. Unlike the Peninsula, where hydropower makes an important contribution, the Canary Islands lack large water resources to generate electricity from this source.
Potential of renewable energies in the Canary Islands
Despite these challenges, the archipelago has enormous potential for renewable energy. With its sunny and windy climate, the Canary Islands are particularly well positioned to take advantage of both solar and wind energy. The constant trade winds and high levels of solar radiation could cover much of the islands' energy demand. if more were invested in infrastructure and supporting policies.
In fact, some progress has already been made in recent years. In 2022, installed renewable capacity increased to 802 MW, representing 25% of the total installed capacity in the Canary Islands. This increase is largely due to the growth of wind energy and, to a lesser extent, solar photovoltaic energy.
Projects in development and future
Thanks to the European Union's recovery funds, the Canary Islands have received an injection of funding for renewable projects. With this aid, initiatives have been launched for the expansion of wind and photovoltaic parks. An effort has also been made to increase self-consumption capacity in homes and businesses, with the aim of achieve 534 MW of photovoltaic self-consumption in 2030.
Another project underway is the interconnection between islands, such as the submarine connection between La Gomera and Tenerife. These types of initiatives will help to optimize the distribution of energy in the archipelago and reduce the limitations arising from its geographical isolation. In addition, the possibilities of developing offshore wind energy are being explored since the islands have access to vast areas of ocean with strong winds.
Finally, despite the challenges, the outlook for renewable energy in the Canary Islands appears to be improving. With a firm commitment from local authorities and support from the European Union, the development of these energies is likely to accelerate in the coming years, allowing the islands to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and move towards a more sustainable future.
Efforts to improve storage systems will also be key to ensuring that renewable energy can be used efficiently, especially in an island environment where variability in renewable energy production is a constant challenge.
Conclusion
The Canary Islands' progress towards a cleaner energy model has been slow, but there are reasons for optimism. With its immense wind and solar potential, the archipelago has the opportunity to become a benchmark in the transition to renewable energy. To achieve this, it is essential to continue investing in infrastructure, improve support policies and promote research into new technologies such as offshore wind energy and efficient storage systems.