Solar Energy in Gran Canaria

The third largest of the Canary Islands is not only popular among travelers for its pleasant temperatures, that range between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius throughout the whole year. It also is for the many hours of sunshine; the islanders are spoiled with, even throughout the winter months. Consequently, the use of the sun as a sustainable energy supplier is particularly attractive.

More and more private individuals in Gran Canaria are taking advantage of the sun to generate energy. The biggest power guzzler in the household is heating the water. This not only when bathing or showering, but also when using household appliances that work with hot water, like for example the washing machine or the dishwasher. Especially with a high consumption of hot water experts recommend the installation of a system for solar energy production. And more and more residents of the island follow this advice. The Spanish government has created corresponding laws: Anyone who builds a house or renovates it large-scale must generate at least sixty percent of the energy that will be needed, with renewable energy sources – such as the sun. And conversely, this environmentally conscious behavior is also promoted: In spring 2018, the government of Gran Canaria adopted a special subsidy program for photovoltaic systems. Homeowners receive one Euro for every watt generated; The subsidy can amount to a maximum of 3.000 Euros – until the subsidy pot of a total of 150.000 Euros is used up.

The technology of a solar power system for the private household is as simple as it is ingenious: A storage tank filled with water is installed on the roof of the house next to the solar collector. A liquid contained in the collector (the “solar fluid”) rises through a circulation pump when exposed to the sun and heats up the water in the storage, which then passes to the inside of the house through the pipes and can be used there. But even when the sun is not shining, hot water is available as the systems are highly efficient and the heat can also be stored with special ballasts. Many homeowners and hotels also use solar energy to heat their swimming pools. Conventional swimming pool heating is very energy and cost intensive, since a large amount of water has to be heated. The sun directly heats up the water contained in the pool by passing it over so-called solar absorbers. A practical and more than sustainable method, especially for an island that consists of biosphere reserve of 43% as UNESCO declared.

Energy generation for the general public takes place in so-called solar power plants: the solar energy is captured and bundled with the help of special solar collectors, which are strung together on fields or the roofs of large halls, These collectors can be built in the form of parabolic dishes or dark mirrors that are more familiar to us. The heat thus collected is converted into energy, by means of which, for example, steam is generated. This steam in turn drives generators or turbines that produce electricity.

With a daily solar radiation of 800 to 1300 watts per square meter, on which the islanders can rejoice, this sustainable form of energy production pays off in every respect. Another advantage is that in this way the formation of carbon dioxide is completely avoided. In addition, the production of energy through oil and coal always involves the production of environmentally harmful by-products; too, solar power is in the truest sense of the word a clean alternative.