Lanzarote's energy transition points, according to the PLZ21 initiative, towards a clear objective: to achieve 100% renewable energy within ten years. The way to achieve it is the subject of study by the initiative led by businessmen and residents of Lanzarote.
To achieve this, the island faces crucial decisions about which technologies to adopt and, more importantly, who should manage these resources to ensure that the benefits remain within Lanzarotean society.
Solar energy as an optimal source
Until a few years ago, wind energy was the main bet because it could generate electricity at night. However, technological evolution has radically changed the landscape. The reduction in the cost of lithium batteries, which now allow for easy energy storage, has made solar photovoltaic energy the ideal option for Lanzarote. This technology avoids the severe visual impact and the impact on avian fauna caused by wind turbines. Furthermore, the installation and maintenance of solar farms are modular, standardized, and much simpler processes than those required for wind energy or conventional thermal power plants.
To organize this deployment, the Government of the Canary Islands must establish Renewable Acceleration Zones (ZAR), which are areas particularly suitable for these installations. The ideal is to locate them in degraded areas, landfills, closed quarries, parking lots, and industrial or artificial land.
The Cabildo as promoter: Energy as a public good
One of the major issues in the debate is who should lead this development, as the decision will have consequences for generations. If control remains in the hands of multinational corporations, citizens will continue to pay for energy whose economic returns will end up outside the island.
Therefore, it is proposed that the Cabildo de Lanzarote should promote and lead the creation of major public photovoltaic energy parks. The advantages of this model are multiple: the energy produced could cover the high demands of desalination and water pumping on the island, while reducing the energy costs of public services such as lighting or health centers. Furthermore, it would allow the creation of an island energy community where citizens, entities, and companies would progressively join, ensuring that the well-being derived from electricity production remains in Lanzarote.
The limit of rooftops and the citizen's role
This public leadership of large parks must be combined with the active participation of citizens and companies through self-consumption on their own land and rooftops. This allows individuals to cover their needs and inject their surplus energy into the grid.
However, studies indicate that the goal of 100% renewable energy cannot be achieved using only the rooftops of homes and industrial buildings. According to the initiative, this system would only cover between 26% and 40% of the energy demand, largely because in many homes on the island it is not appropriate to install panels for aesthetic and landscape integration reasons.
The electric vehicle revolution
The island's energy transition is directly linked to sustainable mobility. The demand for electric vehicles on the island is growing profitably. Although the initial purchase price is between 2,000 and 5,000 euros higher than that of a combustion engine car, this difference is amortized in one or two years. The savings are substantial: traveling 100 kilometers with electricity costs between 2 and 4 euros, compared to the 10 or 15 euros it costs to do so with fuel. For citizens who have solar panels on their homes, the benefit is multiplied, as they can charge their vehicles, drastically reducing the cost or even traveling practically for free.
To articulate and materialize all these solutions, PLZ21.com has developed a proposal, available on its website, which includes the delimitation of suitable areas and a photovoltaic development strategy led by the Cabildo, with the focus on ensuring that the generated wealth fully benefits Lanzarote.
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