Tenerife Moves Towards Renewable Energy Transition
Tenerife’s Cabildo has met with renewable energy sector leaders to develop a roadmap aimed at speeding up the implementation of clean energy on the island. The goal is to enhance institutional coordination and tackle challenges hindering new projects.
The meeting was chaired by Rosa Dávila, president of the Cabildo, along with vice president José Miguel Ruano and other key officials, including Blanca Pérez, Juan José Martínez, and Manuel Fernández. Representatives from the Canary Association of Renewable Energies (ACER) and the Photovoltaic Union of Spain (UNEF) were also present, alongside experts from the Technological Institute for Renewable Energies (ITER).
Discussions focused on establishing a shared understanding of Tenerife’s energy situation and identifying key obstacles to achieving 2030 targets. Topics included the capacity of the electricity network, energy storage requirements, administrative processes, and the development of energy communities.
Dávila described the meeting as “very productive” and emphasised the importance of transitioning to a cleaner, more efficient, and autonomous energy model for Tenerife. She noted the island’s vast potential for renewable energy and stressed the need to translate this potential into concrete projects, investments, and job opportunities.
The Cabildo aims to maintain direct dialogue with the renewable sector to address concerns and collaborate on solutions that enable the orderly integration of renewable energies. Dávila highlighted that the energy transition must also serve as an economic and social opportunity for the island.
Key issues discussed included enhancing access to the electricity network, resolving current bottlenecks, planning electrical infrastructure, and energy storage needs. The meeting also explored the use of public rooftops for self-consumption, the promotion of energy communities, and linking renewable expansion to anti-energy poverty policies.
A proposal from ACER, called TeneFor, aims to establish an island strategy focused on energy sovereignty, supply security, environmental respect, and social acceptance of the energy transition. This includes developing a digital twin of the island’s electrical system and promoting agrivoltaics and distributed renewable generation.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to prioritise actions and consider TeneFor as a permanent coordination body to define its structure and functions. The Cabildo reaffirmed its commitment to leading an energy transition that promotes decarbonisation, supply security, innovation, territorial protection, and economic opportunities for Tenerife.
