The Government of the Canary Islands has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Energía Bonita, the energy community of La Palma island. Through this agreement, the government will lend the rooftops of seven educational centres to Energía Bonita for 25 years to install photovoltaic solar panels. In exchange, the government will receive 15% of the power produced. This initiative was finalised last week.
Energía Bonita, a cooperative that has installed a 100 kW photovoltaic plant for collective self-consumption for its more than 200 members, aims to install additional plants in the coming months. The community prioritises minimising environmental and social impacts through its technology use.
The educational centres involved in this project include IES Las Breñas, IES José María Pérez Pulido, IES Cándido Marante Expósito, IES Alonso Pérez Díaz, CEO Barlovento, CEO Tijarafe, and CEO Juan XXIII. The solar installations will provide clean energy to supply 700 families, contributing significantly to energy decarbonisation in the region.
Poli Suárez, the Minister of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports, emphasised that this is the first initiative of its kind in the Canary Islands. The project aims to make schools self-sufficient, reduce electricity costs for surrounding homes, generate clean energy, and lower CO2 emissions. This effort aligns with the Ministry of Education’s strategic goal to ensure 8% of educational centres in the Canary Islands are environmentally sustainable, supporting Europe’s climate neutrality objectives for 2050.
Promoted by the General Directorate of Infrastructures and Equipment, the project includes several conditions. Energía Bonita will provide the Ministry with 15% of the energy production from each centre. The cooperative will also manage the assembly, management, operation and maintenance of the solar installations.
The solar energy produced will benefit between 100 and 150 families in neighbourhoods within a 2-kilometre radius of each school. Priority will be given to families experiencing energy poverty and vulnerability, with collaborative efforts from the Social Welfare area. The initiative will result in significant energy cost savings for beneficiaries in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Tijarafe, San Andrés y Sauces, Los Llanos de Aridane, Breña Baja, Barlovento and Tazacorte.
This innovative project not only addresses energy needs but also fosters cooperative citizen participation and contributes to combating climate change through a new energy model. For more information, visit Energía Bonita.
Find out more (in Spanish).