European Commission

El Hierro
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Dissemination:
an
Co
m
m
iss

a guarantee
io
n

for success
As the transfer of knowledge is crucial in such innovative projects,
dissemination activities as varied as leaflets, brochures, publications
in relevant journals and technical press, website development,
explicative DVDs, organisation of workshops and seminars,
presence in conferences and exhibitions and awareness campaigns
will take place. Moreover, at the end of the project, two technical
visits will be organised. The target groups will be composed of
local authorities, energy planners, consumers associations, industry
C
and private investors, tourism industry and energy companies, En Reg rete
er
gy iona
interested citizens from remote regions and islands within and Ag l
en
outside of Europe, and EU representatives. cy

El Hierro 100% RES island

Replication: Wind-hydro power system

Crete and Madeira Integration of renewable energy sources
the first of
a long series?
Hundreds of islands worldwide could benefit from the results of
this project. As a consequence of the planned activities, the energy
independency and quality of life on isolated islands could be
increased (more than 13 million Europeans live on islands, which
account for more than 5% of European territory).

There is a strong willingness for cooperation with regions where

comparable projects could be realised. For instance, feasibility and
economic studies for the development of similar Wind-Hydro Power
Station on Crete and Madeira are already in progress. As a project
partner, and in collaboration with INSULA (International Scientific
Council for Island Development), NTUA (National Technical University
Contact
of Athens) occupies a strategic position in the identification of Greek Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias, S.A. (ITC)
islands where the project could be replicated. On a worldwide level, Energy, Water and Bioengineering Division
cooperation will try to ensure the replication of the system on non Playa de Pozo Izquierdo s/n, Pozo Izquierdo
European islands and islands belonging to developing countries. A E-35119 - Santa Lucía (Gran Canaria)
Special thanks to Artenara Fotos, Las Palmas - España
tentative list of potentially interesting islands has been drawn up Kimmo Nordström and Carsten Schauer
Phone: +34 928 72 75 00
by INSULA of which about 60 islands seem to correspond to the for permission to use their photographs.
Email: [email protected]
set criteria. Graphic design by Susanne Klein www.insula-elhierro.com Web: http://www.itccanarias.org
 Wind and water:
the perfect synergy
With great ascents and high wind energy potential (Trade Winds),
El Hierro proves to be a very suitable place for the implementation
of a Wind-Hydro power station; it is also the first Wind-Hydro
power station that will be providing close to 80% of the electricity
Hot water
demand of a totally isolated area. and electricity
The major advantage of such a combination is that the system from the sun
To reach this challenging objective, different programmes focusing
on energy saving, 100% RES for electricity production and transport
can overcome the usual problems of discontinuity and power
fluctuation caused by the intermittent characteristic of the wind
A people-oriented Due to its ideal location, El Hierro experiences exceptional irradiation
conditions and effectively harnessing solar energy is a key part of
are to be implemented. With the financial support of the DG TREN of resource. When the energy produced by the wind farm exceeds energy the 100% RES strategy.
the European Commission, a consortium of 7 partners, coordinated the demand, the surplus is used to pump desalinated water in a management style Following an ITC initiative, a local company has been created to
by ITC (Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias), are carrying out a reservoir situated 700 m above sea level. Conversely, if the energy
A major innovation of the present project is that, contrary to what supply and install PV systems and a programme called “10 PV roofs”
project that focuses on the “100% RES for Electricity Production” produced by the wind farm is insufficient to meet the demand, the
has been done until now regarding electricity management (the has been initiated. The quantitative objective of this programme is
programme. The most innovative part of this programme is the water stored in the upper reservoir is released through the turbines
utility owns and exploits the power station as well as the wind to install 50 kWp by the end of 2005. In order to do so, ten 5 kWp
development of a Wind-Hydro power station, which is an original to a lower reservoir, converting the potential energy of the water
farm and sells/distributes the electricity), it has been decided that systems are being installed, with a priority given to public buildings.
concept that combines wind power and hydropower, using water into electrical energy. In this way, thanks to the potential energy
a consortium would be introduced to own and administer the As a result, these systems will increase the percentage of RE into
as an economic way of storing energy. Furthermore, and in order storage and the controllable power output of the hydro turbines,
Wind-Hydro Power Station. The company was baptized Gorona the grid and will produce energy during the daytime, when the
to demonstrate that the synergies between different RES can it is possible to establish a stable grid in terms of frequency and
del Viento El Hierro, S.A. and the shareholders and their respective electricity consumption is higher.
contribute greatly to increasing RE penetration into weak grids in voltage, where the production matches the demand at any time.
Linking isolated areas, PV, solar thermal and biomass programmes will also
As the water-energy binomial is an essential aspect of the sustainable
contributions were defined in an agreement in December 2004.
This consortium includes the Island Government of El Hierro
Of course, the 100% RES strategy does not only cover electricity

innovation, be implemented.
development strategy of the island, the system also includes a water (representing political commitment, which is essential for inhabitant
production as solar energy can also be used to produce hot water.
Therefore, a solar thermal energy programme, PROCASOL, has been
finance and technology During the first phase, an important part of the project is devoted desalination plant, not only to fill the reservoirs and compensate for integration in the project), the Canary Islands through ITC and the
launched in order to promote solar thermal energy installations on
to the construction and monitoring of the Wind-Hydro power the evaporation losses but also to produce water for irrigation and power utility (UNELCO-ENDESA).
Most islands depend heavily on imported fossil fuel. Security of El Hierro and in the Canary Islands. The aim of this programme is
station on El Hierro, but also to feasibility and economic studies for domestic use.
supply at affordable prices may not be guaranteed in the future, Acceptance of the project by the population is essential. Therefore, to substitute electrical heaters with solar thermal systems in order
the development of similar Wind-Hydro power station, initially on
jeopardizing all sustainable development efforts. Renewables, in It has been estimated that a maximum direct wind energy as well as the implementation of several workshops, and awareness to reduce the total electricity demand for domestic hot water and,
Crete and Madeira and later, on other islands worldwide that are
particular wind and solar energy, offer islands a “clean” abundant
supply that can be reliably harvested at financially competitive
appropriate for the replication of the system. On a less technical
penetration into the grid of 30 % could be achieved. Until now,
no isolated island (weak grid) has had such a big direct wind
campaigns, the inhabitants will also have the opportunity to be
directly involved in the project as co-owners of the Wind-Hydro
in turn, smooth the load profile of the island. The programme
combines direct funding for the investment and the financing
Biomass
levels. The understanding of the relationship between sustainable
level, tasks such as the integration and involvement of the island
contribution. Therefore, the island will be a study of grid stability Power Station. A number of the Island Government-owned shares of the system at a zero interest rate as well as several measures for biogas and
development and the innovative management of renewable
population (acceptance of the system), socio-economic research
and knowledge sharing will be implemented.
issues and the results will contribute to defining the real limit of will be divided into smaller ones giving El Hierro SMEs and every such as guarantees for the collectors and their installation and much more
energy is the central objective of the El Hierro project, which will wind penetration. As well as the Canary Islands, all isolated islands, islander the possibility of part-ownership, which is expected to maintenance. In order to ensure the success of the programme, ITC
In terms of biomass energy, El Hierro has a strong potential, in
demonstrate that it is now possible for islands to achieve energetic in Europe and worldwide, could benefit from the results of this create interest and to effectively involve the population in the successfully promoted the creation of a local company devoted to,
particular for biogas production. Resources such as sewage sludge,
independence. experience. project. amongst other matters, the installation of solar thermal systems.
animal waste and the organic part of MSW (Municipal Solid Waste)
Although it has been estimated that 2500 m² of collectors would
as well as organic industrial waste (slaughterhouse and dairy) could
be necessary to cover the entire potential market, the quantitative
Sun, wind objective within the first phase this project is to reach an installed
be used in biogas plants. The combined treatment of non-wood
waste in an anaerobic centralised plant is the preliminary proposal
and water, collector area of 500 m² by the end of 2005.
of use but the recycling of used oils and energy crop production will
1 Population: more than 10000 inhabitants for The wind-hydro power station: How it works?
the new allies a surface area of 276 km² Whether for the photovoltaic systems or the solar thermal also be studied (production of biofuels). In the second phase of the

of El Hierro 2 Conventional power station: 8,3 MW diesel

fired system
collectors, it is important to create a network of local professionals
who will be able to fix and maintain the installation and provide
project, the biofuels or biogas could also substitute the diesel used
in the power station or in some transports, whereas the waste from
El Hierro, the smallest island of the Canaries, is staging one of the 3 Wind farm: 9,35 MW installed power
a high-quality after-sale service. To facilitate this, several training forests and plantations (banana, pineapple) could be used directly
4 Maximum penetration rate of wind 3
most ambitious island projects regarding energy self-sufficiency sessions dedicated to electricians (PV) and plumbers (solar thermal) or indirectly as fuel for heat production, reducing the consumption
energy for direct consumption
through the use of renewable energies. In a few years, El Hierro have already been organized. of electricity and butane.
into the grid: 30%
will become one of the first islands in the world to meet its energy 5 Pumping station 7 1
demand using RES (Renewable Energy Sources). Considered as one 6 Hydropower station: 3 x 3,3 MW Pelton
of the most audacious actions of the strategy established in the turbines, able to operate from 10% to 100%
European Commission White Paper on Renewable Energies, the of their power capacity while keeping the same 4
project is already a reference for other islands, such as Crete and efficiency
7 Upper reservoir: Height: 700 m above sea
Madeira, and has become a strong example of the “Island 2010”
level // Capacity: 200000 m3, coverage of the 5
initiative promoted by the ALTENER programme. The 100% RES energy demand during seven consecutive days 6
project is also a key issue of the “Sustainable Development Plan” without wind (Beyond this, the existing diesel
defined in 1997 by the Island Government of El Hierro, which has power station will take over to meet the entire 2
demand). 9
proved to be even more relevant since El Hierro was declared a 8
8 Lower reservoir: Capacity: 200000 m3
“World Wide Reserve of Biosphere” by UNESCO in January 2000.
9 Desalination plant: Capacity: 5 to 10 m3/
It is a most singular project, featuring high replication possibilities, day. It fills the reservoirs and compensates the
which demonstrates that a 100% RES future is already a reality for evaporation losses. The plant will also provide
islands. water for irrigation purpose and other use.