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EL HIERRO A FIRST ENERGETICALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT REGION

Grazyna Jastrzebska

Abstract

The papers presents the realization of Project Gorona el Viento and its operation on the smallest of Canary Islands. El Hierro was recognized as UNESCO biosphere reserve. Therefore the new model of energy supply, based exclusively on renewable energy sources, seemed to be reasonable. Earlier power was obtained from diesel transported from the mainland. The hybrid solution, system including the wind farm, water pumped power plant and a set of pumps has been adopted. Power obtained of the wind turbines supplies households on the island and the surplus is used to power the pumps pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper one, placed in the crater of an inactive volcano. Hydroelectric power plant serves as an energy storage. During windless weather the hydroelectric power plant secure power supply for 48 hours. This system does new cover a 100 percent of energy requirement . Deficiency is supplemented from the Diesel generator. As a result of some improvements in 2014 El Hierro became a fully energetically self-sufficient region and reduced a CO2 emission of 18 200 tons per year. The results of the monitoring showing the operation of the system during 22 months (based on Red ElпїЅctrica de EspaпїЅa Data) were presented. The results of insolation measurements made by the author on the island suggest that solar energy can additionally supply the island's energy system.

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