The end almost never justifies the means, and in no case an aggression against the environment. The proposal to install a photovoltaic plant in Las Caletas has activated all the alarms. The space in which it is intended to be located, equivalent to two football fields at the entrance of Costa Teguise, represents a considerable environmental impact. More than 3,000 solar panels that, according to the technical reports presented by the Cabildo de Lanzarote to the General Directorate of Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, affect different species, the conservation of heritage values and are not compatible with the qualification of the land.
The urgency of promoting, with all possible means, the implementation of renewable energies could justify this action in view of the situation of energy dependence in which the island finds itself and the risk of impoverishment that it entails. It is true that it is in our interest to facilitate procedures, give advantages and favor the growth of renewables to achieve energy autonomy. It is no less true that renewables represent an economic opportunity for the social fabric of the island, as the sector is capable of generating new jobs for many young people who are training in the field. And for companies it is an important bet because to the extent that we develop that know-how, we will be able to export that knowledge to our nearest market: West Africa and Macaronesia. A guarantee for the growth of our business fabric.
However, despite the fact that the advantages are many, we cannot allow this development to be done in any way and in any place. We have to find the right formula to fit the pieces that allow us to do all this without mortgaging the future of our children and our land. It is absolutely necessary that the Cabildo regulate the appropriate spaces for the location of these renewable facilities, which can be public or private.
The Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote has participated in annual exhibitions and fairs to show the latest trends in the renewable sector. From the first electric vehicle fair, in November 2011, to the last edition of Expoenergía in 2018, organized through the Single Window of Renewable Energies of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, we have seen the multitude of alternatives that exist to develop experiences different from the predatory model. At this point, we can affirm that it is possible and desirable to combine the economic interest of our companies with sustainability criteria.
On the eve of an international strike for the climate around the world, in which youth demands a future for humanity and the planet, it is the perfect time for Lanzarote, which has been a pioneer in championing this current of respect for the territory and its biosphere, to set an example that we can achieve commercial return from sustainability, guaranteeing the future for the island and its next generations. That is the only justifiable end.
