El Hierro powers itself

Countless British visitors know the Canary Islands, but not all of them will be familiar with El Hierro, though it has a small airport and a ferry terminal, connecting it to Tenerife.

El Hierro is about to become the first island in the world to become totally energy self-sufficient. This will be achieved through a €54 million project combining five wind turbines and two hydroelectric projects. It will run three water desalination plants, and the hydro storage system will store surplus wind power by pumping water up 700 metres (approximately 2,300 feet) to fill the crater of an extinct volcano. When there is little wind or when demand exceeds supply, water will be released from the crater to run down the hill into an artificial basin at the bottom, generating 11.3 MW of electricity as it does so. It will stay in the lower basin until there is excess wind power, which will then pump the water back up again to the upper reservoir.

This ‘closed-loop’ hybrid wind/hydro system is to be tested by the end of 2013, but is expected to save approximately four million US dollars currently spent on importing some 40,000 barrels of crude oil every year, making the island completely self-sufficient for electrical energy.

People on Arran are thinking along the same lines. Surely this must be the pattern for the future?

Google “Green Islands” for a general overview, or follow this link.