Canaries Unveils Renewable Energy Project at El Bicho Tunnel
The Canary Islands Government has launched a new solar power installation at the El Bicho Tunnel on the TF-1 road in Santiago del Teide. This project aims to generate renewable energy to partially meet the tunnel’s electrical needs and reduce reliance on the conventional grid.
Pablo Rodríguez, the Minister for Public Works, Housing and Mobility, visited the site along with Rosana Melián, Director General of Road Infrastructure, Alberto Hernández, Director General of Energy, and local officials. Rodríguez highlighted that sustainability becomes a tangible reality when integrated into the planning, construction, and management of such infrastructure, contributing to a more efficient transport network and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Pioneering Renewable Initiative
Melián referred to the project as a pioneering effort in the Canaries, marking the first renewable energy initiative directly linked to road infrastructure. This approach will extend to other areas of the archipelago’s road network, including projects at the Erjos Tunnel and the Aeropuerto–Pozo Negro route, where more solar plants will be installed.
She noted that renewable energy is shifting from isolated initiatives to a strategic criterion gradually incorporated into road planning. These efforts focus on developed areas to avoid new land use while making the most of existing sites.
Green Strategy and Funding
Hernández emphasised the collaboration with Public Works to embed sustainable energy solutions in road infrastructure, backed by European recovery funds under the Next Generation EU programme. The Green Strategy includes nine initiatives with an investment exceeding €3.4 million: four projects for renewable generation and five aimed at energy efficiency.
The four solar projects, collectively costing €1,397,147.73, will be located at the El Bicho Tunnel, La Cumbre Tunnel (LP-3, La Palma), Pino Seco Tunnel (GC-1, Gran Canaria), and Butihondo link (FV-2, Fuerteventura). The efficiency projects, worth €2,089,793.32, focus on replacing traditional lighting with high-efficiency LED systems at various locations, including the El Bicho and La Cumbre Tunnels.
Technical Details of El Bicho Tunnel Installation
The El Bicho Tunnel installation, executed by Tragsa with technical support from MAS 24 Ingeniería & Arquitectura, represents an investment of €274,094. This self-consumption photovoltaic system is designed to satisfy a significant portion of the tunnel’s operational, lighting, and safety energy demands.
The facility features 306 bifacial solar panels with a total installed capacity of 189.72 kWp, strategically positioned between the northern and southern tunnel entrances. This system, equipped with six 50 kW inverters, is expected to cover approximately 52% of the tunnel’s energy consumption, effectively reducing conventional energy use and emissions.
Funding for the project comes from the European Union’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, part of the Canary Islands Government’s Green Strategy.
