Canary wasted much of the wind power produced with wind farms, the current and anticipated, until they are built pumping stations capable of almacenarla. Not be at least until 2015.
“We are committed to a transition period for the disposal of wind energy, strive to be the minimum possible,” said on Thursday Luis Atienza, chairman of Spanish Electrical Network, during the media presentation of the new headquarters of this institution in the capital of Gran Canaria , located in Calle Juan de Quesada.
The electricity consumption has some valleys in the south and especially during the morning. In interconnected power systems, such as Spanish, which in turn is linked to Europe, is very easy to export and import energy from countries, which balances the system. However, in isolated systems such as exist in each of the islands, this is a problem, especially when managing renewable energy technology.
The wind conditions are highly variable and may occur that produce the most intense winds during a fall in demand. Therefore, wind energy electricity can not be consumed unless it is stored. However, the only way to store it is by pumping stations do not exist in the Islands. “The variability of the wind is very characteristic of the Canary Islands,” said Atienza.
Small contribution
With the current installed capacity of 75 megawatts, the wind energy input to the system is very low, but the Canaries Energy Plan provides for its expansion to over 600 megawatts, which will, as these stations are not built, much of that energy is produced in vain.
The Canary Plan includes the construction of pumping stations in all the islands except Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, and indeed, in El Hierro and is being built. The date to be completed is 2015.
Also, Atienza announced that the progressive implementation of wind power in the Islands to reduce dependence on traditional fuels insular and thermal energy will require an expansion of the transport network, ie the stands.
“It will be the inevitable cost of regional impact to the electrical system is cleaner and can contribute to the fight against climate change,” he said.
