“It is impossible to meet the provisions of the plan.” That’s how forceful it shows Manuel FernandezMinister of Industry, Commerce, Primary Sector and Animal Welfare of the Cabildo de Tenerifequestioned about the report-response of the institution to the consultation process of the Energy Transition Plan of Canary Islands which puts 2040 as a time horizon to make the energy transition.
Fernández explains that “the current situation in Tenerife makes us think that it is impossible to comply with this framework, since a true transition process towards renewable energies has not begun.” He gives as an example that “the previous Government of the Canary Islands rejected the possibility of implementing the planned regasification plant in the port of Granadilla. The Island was left without the opportunity to manufacture transition energy, gas, much cleaner than the fuel oil that the Granadilla power plant continues to use.
He considers it “fundamental” for the future to “establish a roadmap with measurable and realistic milestones towards the decarbonization process.” But, Fernández points out, “we cannot lose sight of the need to have a robust and reliable energy system model”. He recalls what happened recently in La Gomera and the energy zeros in Tenerife in recent years: “Proof that we must dedicate our maximum efforts to guarantee the island a stable energy system.”
«The Island is exposed to suffer a major blackout again at any time»
He estimates that “the current island systems have shown themselves to be vulnerable, largely due to the obsolescence of production equipment and the delay in the introduction of renewable energies.” Another element that in his opinion “worsens” the situation is “the delay in executing the Güímar electrical storage system project, which is emerging as a fundamental tool to advance on the path towards clean energy.” Regarding green hydrogen, he indicates that “the technology to generate this energy is very embryonic.” “I wish it were a reality as soon as possible,” he details, “but we cannot base the future of a system as vulnerable as the island based on energy that has not yet been developed from a technological point of view and is very expensive to produce.”
He delves into an idea: “The thermal power plants of Tenerife are among the most polluting in the national territory, since we produce energy by burning fuel and diesel.” He shows his “concern” because “Tenerife could have a big blackout at any time; in La Gomera they were able to provisionally solve it with generators, an absolutely unfeasible solution on our Island”.
The counselor adds: “Tenerife has a power deficit of 80 MW, an example of the vulnerability of our energy system.” One option to alleviate it would be to “implement a system of interconnections between islands, although the technical problem of the depth between some would have to be solved.” The project between Tenerife and La Gomera is already underway.
Manuel Fernández emphasizes that “in parallel to the Ptcan, we must work on measures that guarantee the supply to families and companies in Tenerife -implantation of natural gas or construction of the Güímar storage system-, since our system is vulnerable due to its insularity, the obsolescence of equipment and technology, the use of fuel oil and the energy deficit».
