Southeast Region: Renewable Energy Push Meets Local Resistance
The Canary Islands Government has opened for public comment two new renewable energy projects, the Laja Blanca Wind Farm in Arico and the Güímar Photovoltaic Park in Arafo, despite strong local opposition in Arico due to existing energy infrastructure saturation.
The Southeast region is once again a key area for new renewable energy projects, with two major developments moving forward: the Laja Blanca Wind Farm in Arico and the Güímar Photovoltaic Park in Arafo.
Both projects are currently going through various administrative steps and have been opened for public comment by the Canary Islands Government's General Directorate of Energy.
The larger of the two is the Laja Blanca Wind Farm, proposed by Oilean Laja Blanca Eólica Energy 2, S.L.U. This wind farm will have a capacity of 12.6 megawatts (MW) and will be built entirely within the Arico municipality.
It will feature three wind turbines, each about 142 meters tall. The electricity generated will travel through an underground medium-voltage network to an electrical substation. The project also involves building access roads, platforms, foundations, trenches for cables, and a storage area.
Technical documents show that the wind farm will permanently cover nearly 115,000 square meters. An additional 42,000 square meters will be temporarily affected during construction. The estimated cost for building the project is 21.19 million euros.
As part of its approval process, the project seeks a 'public utility' declaration, which could allow for compulsory purchase of land if needed.
An attached document lists hundreds of properties and rights that would be affected. These include plots owned by individuals, companies, banks, the Arico City Council, the Cabildo de Tenerife, and the Canary Islands regional government.
This project has met with official opposition in Arico. The municipality recently saw a change in leadership, with Andrés Martínez becoming the new mayor. In his first speech, he clearly stated the council's rejection of such developments.
His comments echo those previously made by former mayor Olivia Delgado to this newspaper. She pointed out that Arico has already been declared 'saturated' with energy infrastructure, given its high number of existing wind farms, solar plants, and power lines.
Ms. Delgado, a socialist, said that despite the council's refusal being communicated "through all possible channels," this new wind farm would "cross red lines." In her view, the project "doesn't represent a step towards sustainability, but rather a new burden for the area."
She added, "We have filed objections against the Land Law to stop 'public interest' from being used as a blank check to ignore local planning rules."
The Güímar Photovoltaic Park is a smaller project, proposed by Naturgy Renovables Canarias, S.L.U. It will be built in Arafo municipality, specifically on a plot in sector 14.
This solar plant will use 4,785 photovoltaic panels, generating a total peak power of 2.918 MWp. The electricity will be sent through a 2.2-kilometer underground line to the Güímar Industrial Estate substation, connecting to its 20 kV busbars.
Covering about 4.1 hectares, the project has an estimated construction cost of 1.74 million euros. Like the Laja Blanca project, it is currently open for public comment and also seeks a 'public utility' declaration for the land it will affect.
The fact that both projects are moving forward at the same time once again underscores the Southeast's crucial role in the island's shift to renewable energy. However, with the region largely opposing new energy developments, and higher-level administrations stressing the need for more renewable energy but with better overall planning, the future of the Southeast's landscape and energy production remains a contentious issue.