El Hierro, in the Spanish Canary Islands will become the first island in the world to be fully energy self-sufficient using just wind and water power.
The €54 million (£44.5m) Gorona del Viento wind farm is due to open on the island at the end of June, where five turbines will be installed that will produce 11.5 megawatts of electricity. This is more than sufficient to power the homes of the island’s 10,000 residents and its water desalination plants.
Surplus power from the turbines will pump fresh water from a reservoir close to the harbour up to another 700m above sea level at a volcanic crater, which means that on days when there is little wind, the water will flow back down to the lower reservoir through water turbines to generate the electricity needed.
Between these two sources of energy, El Hierro will secure a constant stable supply of electricity so that they have no need for a connection to any external electricity network or any expensive oil fuelled generators, which currently consume around 40,000 barrels each year.
The island plans to maintain its oil generators in the short-term in case of emergencies and breakdowns, but once the wind farm is scaled up to full capacity after the first few months, they hope to be truly energy self-sufficient.
