In the heart of the Atlantic, the small island of El Hierro is a global example of how it is possible to boost energy development without depending on fossil fuels through its innovative hydro-wind power plant. In July of this year, this complex achieved cover 77% of the electricity demand of the island with renewable energy, 22 points above the target set by the European Union for 2030.
Teresa RiberaThird Vice-President of the Government and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, visited the plant on the occasion of its tenth anniversary and highlighted the relevance of this project for both the local community and the global arena: “The Gorona del Viento Power Plant is a world-class benchmark that fills all the people of El Hierro and Spain with pride; the aspiration to become 100% renewable In the archipelagos and in the whole country, this is something that still has a long way to go, but here we are closer. Today, one more day, 100% of the island’s electricity has been renewable, because the wind and the hydroelectric dam have been enough to cover all the island’s needs. Our aspiration is for this to become commonplace.”
The hydro-wind model in detail
The El Hierro hydro-wind system is one of the most complex and advanced facilities of its kind in the world. The wind farm has five 2.3 megawatt wind turbiness each one, what generates 11.5 megawatts of installed capacity in total. These wind turbines not only produce electricity for the inhabitants of the island, but also feed a pumping system which raises water from a lower reservoir to another located at 655 meters above sea level. On days when there is not enough wind, the stored water is released, which when falling generates electricity through hydraulic turbines. This mechanism, known as “pumped hydroelectricity“allows the plant to operate even when weather conditions are not favorable.
In addition to this system, the plant has a backup installation: a diesel thermal power plant that remains in operation for exceptional situations, although its use has decreased considerably. In fact, Gorona del Viento estimates that the plant will avoid the consumption of 6,000 tons of diesel and the emission of 19,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere over the next twenty years.
An innovative project
In 2018, the plant managed to reach a peak in its capacity produce energy through renewable sources for 18 consecutive dayswhich became one of the most important milestones of the plant. This achievement marked a milestone in the energy history of the island and established Gorona del Viento as a model for other parts of the world seeking to obtain independent energy through clean sources.
The impact of this installation goes beyond energy. In the words of Alpidio Armas, President of the El Hierro Councilthe project has had a profound effect on the socio-economic development of the island, which is essential to reinforce its autonomy and independence from external sources. Armas also recalled the investment of the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), which contributed 35 million euros in the first steps of Gorona del Viento. This support, initially promoted by former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in 2005, has been essential for turn the idea into a reality which, ten years later, continues to grow.