10 | 27 | 2022
Ecoener inaugurates the largest renewable energy complex in the Canary Islands
- The Gran Canaria complex has an installed capacity of 100 MW and represents an investment of €125 million.
- Pioneering environmental improvements have been installed, such as almost 2,000 metres of vegetation screens made up of 1,600 native trees and shrubs with irrigation systems.
- It will have the largest hybridisation project in the Canary Islands and one of the most important in Spain by the end of 2023.
- Luis de Valdivia, chairman of Ecoener, “we are proud to continue contributing to the environmental improvement of the Canary Islands from our leadership position in renewable energies.”
S. Bartolomé de Tirajana, 27 October 2022.- Today Ecoener, the multinational renewable energy group, inaugurated on the island of Gran Canaria the largest renewable energy generation complex in the Canary Islands, comprising 8 wind farms and 12 photovoltaic power plants, with a total investment of €125 million.
The facilities, which are located in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Las Palmas), will have a total installed capacity of 100 MW. These facilities include, among others, the La Florida 3 wind farm with a capacity of 19 MW, which has some of the most modern and powerful wind turbines currently installed in the Canary Islands.
Ecoener’s renewable energy complex on the island of Gran Canaria will cover the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 54,000 families and will reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 112,000 tonnes per year.
At the same time, it will avoid the annual consumption of almost 20,000 tonnes of fossil fuels, which is a very significant contribution to the total decarbonisation of the Canary Islands planned for 2040.
Ecoener’s investments in the Canary Islands since 2016, including the new facilities, amount to €150 million. In 2022 alone, planned investments in all Canary Island facilities will stand at €40 million.
Hybridisation
The complex will undertake the largest hybridisation project in the Canary Islands and one of the most important in Spain, which will give the Company, together with other wind and photovoltaic technology projects, an additional 51 MW of installed capacity by the end of 2023.
Hybridisation allows the simultaneous production of renewable energy by combining photovoltaic generation with wind power generation, thus guaranteeing a more stable supply. This technology also facilitates the implementation of a single grid connection point, promotes asset optimisation and efficiency, and reduces the environmental impact.
“We are proud to continue contributing to the environmental improvement of the Canary Islands through our leadership position in renewable energies,” stated the chairman of Ecoener, Luis de Valdivia.
A vegetation barrier of 2,000 metres and 1,600 trees planted
The Ecoener complex on the island of Gran Canaria is one of the most important environmental projects ever undertaken in the Canary Islands in the renewable energy sector.
The Company has planted 1,600 native trees and shrubs along a perimeter of almost 2,000 metres. The vegetation barrier covers an area of 13,300 square metres, with the trees arranged as vegetation screens that will contribute to the recovery of the soil, characterised by its aridity, a deficiency in organic matter and a high level of salinity. The species used for this project are the white casuarina or maritime pine, the tarajal and the balo tree.
The irrigation system installed uses reclaimed water from a nearby water treatment plant, a natural way to reduce the impact on the environment and provide the nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) that help to fertilise the soil.
“Since beginning our activities more than 30 years ago, we have tried to make sustainability one of the pillars of our management and growth model. We strive to treat each project in a unique way, and consider nature to be an asset for society,” said Luis de Valdivia, commenting on the landscape integration initiatives.
Innovative environmental technology
The production equipment of the wind farms uses the most modern and efficient technology. In addition, some wind farms, due to their location, have been equipped with modern environmental conservation systems to ensure the protection of ecosystems and bird life.
Ecoener in figures
Ecoener carries out its activities in 10 countries in Europe and the Americas. In the Americas, the multinational renewable energy group is developing projects in the Dominican Republic and Colombia, in line with the Company’s business plan.
In the first half of 2022, Ecoener quadrupled its net profit to €12 million, compared to €2.7 million in the same period of 2021.
The Company also closed the first half of the year with revenue of €38.4 million, an increase of 88%.
The Group’s operating profit before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), which is the value used to measure the quality of management, stood at €25.1 million, up 116% versus the first half of 2021.