The Canary Island’s Department of Ecological Transition and Energy has released updated figures on the growth of photovoltaic self-consumption across the archipelago, covering the period up to June 2026. The analysis shows significant growth in this technology in recent years, indicating a shift towards a cleaner and decarbonised energy model.
According to data from the General Directorate of Energy, the Canary Islands now host 24,817 geo-referenced self-consumption photovoltaic installations, with a total capacity of 302.6 megawatts (MW). From 2023 to June 2026, the number of installations rose from 14,727 to 24,817—an increase of 68.5%.
Mariano H. Zapata, Minister for Energy, emphasised that these figures illustrate a transformation in the region’s energy model, pointing to clear progress throughout this legislative term. He noted that many more installations, currently awaiting funding justification from European subsidies, will contribute to an even larger total.
“Canary Islands are progressing towards decarbonisation alongside local residents, businesses, and administrations. This data shows that renewable energies are now part of our reality, and self-consumption is a key element in reducing our dependency on fossil fuels,” said Zapata.
The acceleration of this growth has been particularly evident since 2023. Between late 2025 and June 17, 2026, there were 1,881 new installations added, contributing 56.5 MW of power—surpassing the total added capacity of 54.3 MW for the whole of 2025.
The average size of installations has gradually increased, rising from 10.7 kW in 2025 to 12.2 kW in June 2026. This shift indicates a growing number of installations linked to businesses and economic activities, alongside a solid base of residential self-consumption.
Most installations are on already built structures. Out of the total 24,817 installations, 24,105 are on rooftops, accounting for 273.8 MW of the total self-consumption power. Additionally, 355 installations are located on awnings.
Furthermore, 18,484 installations are situated on urban or buildable land, totalling 235 MW. This trend demonstrates the Canary model’s commitment to capitalising on existing buildings, parking areas, and other developed spaces, thereby avoiding unnecessary use of undeveloped land.
Julieta Schallenberg, Deputy Minister for Ecological Transition, highlighted that these results show that decarbonising the Canary Islands and protecting the environment are compatible goals. She stated that developing most self-consumption installations on existing structures enables clean energy generation without occupying new land.
“Canary Islands’ energy transition is progressing with planning and foresight. Each new self-consumption installation enhances renewable capacity, increases efficiency, and reduces reliance on fossil fuels,” Schallenberg added.
Tenerife and Gran Canaria account for the majority of self-consumption capacity. Tenerife has 9,478 installations with 111.7 MW, while Gran Canaria has 8,089 installations with 110.2 MW, together making up almost 70% of installations and nearly three-quarters of the total capacity in the Canary Islands.
Lanzarote follows with 2,881 installations and 35.98 MW; Fuerteventura has 2,203 installations and 26.95 MW; La Palma boasts 1,682 installations and 11.7 MW; La Gomera has 292 installations and 4.6 MW; and El Hierro contains 192 installations and 1.6 MW.
Residential setups dominate the landscape, with 21,479 installations—over 80% of the total—but the tertiary sector holds the highest power level at 151.1 MW, which is 49.9% of the overall capacity. The industrial sector contributes 24.6 MW, while the primary sector adds another 6 MW.
This growth is supported by substantial public efforts to ease the adoption of renewable energy. A significant portion of new installations is financed by European Next Generation funds or Feder funds, channelled through various Canary Island government programmes aimed at self-consumption and decarbonisation.
Zapata stressed that European funding has been fundamental in speeding up this transformation, noting that the Canary Islands have effectively used this opportunity to increase renewable installations and support families, businesses, and administrations while focusing on developed areas.
Alicia Velduque Ramos, head of the Energy Development Department, explained that the analysis shows that the majority of self-consumption installations, at 93.16% (23,120 installations totalling 195.4 MW), are designed to offset their own consumption, rather than generating excess energy for sale.
With this initial report, the Canary Island government underscores the significant growth of photovoltaic self-consumption in the region and its increasing contribution to the electrical system, particularly in the promising outlook for 2026.
The data is publicly accessible on the Canary Island government’s energy portal.
