Summary
El Hierro: A Model for a Sustainable Future
The small volcanic island of El Hierro, part of the Canary Islands, is transitioning to a green future by harnessing the forces of nature, such as wind and water, to provide clean energy. This initiative makes it a potential role model for the world.
Background and Challenges
Javier Morales, an agricultural engineer, became a consultant to the government of El Hierro in 1995, aiming to develop ecologically sound criteria for agriculture, fishing, energy, and water supply. He sought to replace the island’s reliance on fossil fuels with renewable energy, specifically using trade winds to produce electricity. Despite initial skepticism and setbacks, including a non-operational wind turbine, Morales faced a 20-year battle to make his vision a reality.
The island of El Hierro initially installed a wind turbine to save money on street lighting, but it was decommissioned due to technical issues and high maintenance costs. The island faces challenges with wind power, including underprovision on windless days and overheating on strong wind days.
Innovative Solutions
Morales draws on experience from other Canary Islands, such as Gran Canaria, where the Technological Institute is working on innovative solutions, including wind energy, solar technology, and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The island of El Hierro is now turning to renewable energy, including wind power, to address its energy and environmental challenges.
Engineer Javier Morales is inspired by the legend of a tree that collects moisture from clouds to supply an island with water, and begins designing an ecological power station that harnesses wind and water to generate electricity, with a system to store energy for a stable supply.
Conservation Efforts and Tourism
The island of El Hierro is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, protecting its diverse habitats and landscapes. Conservation efforts have led to the recovery of grouper stocks and the protection of endangered species, including giant lizards and manta rays. The island’s philosophy is to work with nature, as exemplified by pioneers like Cesar Manrique, who used natural building materials in his architecture.
Elero Island is not suitable for mass tourism due to its small, secluded beaches, but its unspoiled nature attracts people who come to hike or dive, discovering unique landscapes and diverse marine habitats, including whale sharks and other large sea creatures, with protected fish stocks due to agreed catch quotas and closed seasons.
Transition to Green Energy
Engineers planned to build a sustainable power station on the island of El Hierro, combining wind and water power, and sought a location with strong trade winds and a large volcanic crater to store desalinated seawater. The island’s president, Thomas Padron, supported the green energy project.
After over 10 years, the project began in 2007 with the installation of five wind turbines, marking the first phase of transforming the islands into a laboratory for sustainable energy. The island’s wind turbines could produce 2.3 megawatts of electricity each, exceeding the island’s maximum consumption of 8 megawatts.
Benefits and Future Plans
The project aimed to provide green energy, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 19,000 tons annually. The island’s president promoted electric cars with a Motor Show, aiming to convert the island’s traffic to electric vehicles. Islanders are using solar panels and a central power station combining wind and water power to reduce electricity costs, with the goal of providing all the island’s energy needs through green electricity.
The Canary Islands aim to become self-sufficient with clean energy by 2040 or 2050, with smaller islands like El Hierro already achieving this goal. El Hierro’s wind turbines produce excess electricity, powering a desalination plant and reservoirs, and when wind energy is low, water from the reservoir is used to generate electricity through turbines, bridging the energy gap.
Conclusion
A power station on El Hierro was inaugurated in 2014 after 20 years of planning and 5 years of construction, achieving 60% of target performance in its first trial run, and is expected to bring benefits to the island by utilizing wind energy to produce power and drinking water. The island of El Hierro is pioneering a shift towards renewable energy, inspired by a legendary tree, with a goal to surpass the EU’s target of 27% renewable energy share by 2030, potentially making it a model for a sustainable future.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable Energy | Energy that comes from natural resources that can be replenished over time, such as wind, water, and sunlight. | El Hierro is transitioning to renewable energy sources, including wind and water power, to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. |
| Sustainable Development | Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. | El Hierro’s shift towards renewable energy is an example of sustainable development, as it aims to reduce carbon emissions and preserve the island’s natural resources. |
| Wind Turbine | A device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. | El Hierro installed five wind turbines as part of its renewable energy project, which can produce 2.3 megawatts of electricity each. |
| Desalination | The process of removing salt and other minerals from seawater to produce fresh water. | El Hierro’s wind turbines power a desalination plant, which provides fresh water for the island’s residents. |
| Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles | Vehicles that use hydrogen as a fuel source, producing only water and heat as emissions. | The Technological Institute in Gran Canaria is working on innovative solutions, including hydrogen-powered vehicles, to reduce carbon emissions. |
| UNESCO Biosphere Reserve | A protected area that is recognized by UNESCO for its unique biodiversity and natural resources. | El Hierro is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, protecting its diverse habitats and landscapes, including the recovery of grouper stocks and the protection of endangered species. |
| Ecological Power Station | A power station that uses natural resources, such as wind and water, to generate electricity in an environmentally friendly way. | El Hierro’s ecological power station combines wind and water power to generate electricity, reducing the island’s reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing its carbon footprint. |
| Carbon Emissions | The release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. | El Hierro’s renewable energy project aims to reduce carbon emissions by 19,000 tons annually, contributing to a more sustainable future. |
| Electric Vehicles | Vehicles that are powered by electricity from a battery, rather than gasoline or diesel. | El Hierro’s president promoted electric cars with a Motor Show, aiming to convert the island’s traffic to electric vehicles and reduce carbon emissions. |
| Solar Panels | Devices that convert sunlight into electrical energy. | Islanders are using solar panels to reduce electricity costs and contribute to the island’s goal of providing all its energy needs through green electricity. |
Watch The Video
Vocabulary Quiz
1. Which word means ‘to make something no longer needed or useful’ in the context of the wind turbine on the island of El Hierro?
A) Harness
B) Decommissioned
C) Transitioning
D) Sustainable
2. What does ‘ecologically sound’ mean in the context of Javier Morales’ work on the island of El Hierro?
A) Environmentally harmful
B) Economically viable but not sustainable
C) Having a minimal negative impact on the environment
D) Focused solely on economic growth
3. What is a ‘UNESCO biosphere reserve’ in the context of the island of El Hierro?
A) A protected area for endangered species only
B) A site recognized for its cultural significance
C) A region that balances conservation and sustainable development
D) An area closed to all human activity
4. What does ‘desalinated’ mean in the context of the water storage on the island of El Hierro?
A) Water that has been made salty by human activity
B) Water that has been removed of its salt content
C) Water that has been contaminated with pollutants
D) Water that has been mixed with fresh water sources
5. What is meant by ‘self-sufficient’ in the context of the Canary Islands’ goal for clean energy?
A) Completely dependent on external sources for energy
B) Able to meet all of its energy needs without external help
C) Partially reliant on renewable energy sources
D) Focused on reducing but not eliminating reliance on fossil fuels
Answer Key:
1. B
2. C
3. C
4. B
5. B
Grammar Focus
Grammar Focus: The Use of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Grammar Quiz:
1. By 2040, the Canary Islands ____________________ towards becoming self-sufficient with clean energy for over 20 years.
- a) will have been working
- b) have worked
- c) are working
- d) will work
2. The island of El Hierro ____________________ a model for sustainable energy since the inauguration of its power station in 2014.
- a) has been becoming
- b) becomes
- c) is becoming
- d) became
3. The engineers ____________________ on the design of the ecological power station for over 10 years before construction began.
- a) have been working
- b) were working
- c) had worked
- d) will work
4. The island’s president, Thomas Padron, ____________________ the green energy project since its inception.
- a) has supported
- b) supports
- c) is supporting
- d) has been supporting
5. By 2030, the island of El Hierro ____________________ its goal of surpassing the EU’s target of 27% renewable energy share.
- a) will have achieved
- b) achieves
- c) is achieving
- d) has achieved
Answer Key:
1. a) will have been working
2. a) has been becoming
3. a) have been working
4. d) has been supporting
5. a) will have achieved