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Before Energy Independence
Before energy independence, El Hierro used diesel-powered generators that consumed 6,600 tons of diesel fuel and emitted 8,700 tons of CO2 annually. -
The Beginning of Energy Independence
El Hierro has worked steadily at becoming the first energy-independent island, an island that is able to produce enough of its own fuel to meet its own demands. They did it by joining together and directing their scientific knowledge, moral desire, and spiritual commitment toward meeting their energy needs with nature, not from nature. -
El Hierro Becomes a Biosphere Reserve
In 2000, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named El Hierro a Biosphere Reserve. This protects 60% of the island’s territory thus protecting the area’s ecosystem. -
Offshore Drilling
In August 2014, the Spanish Minister of Industry allowed an oil company, Repsol, to drill in the ocean seabed near the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands is one of the largest marine areas in Europe and is one of the best areas for marine biodiversity. If an oil spill was to occur, it would virtually destroy the marine life living there, so the people of El Hierro protested. -
Now: The Gorona del Viento Power Plant
Today, the Gorona del Viento Power Plant is a closed loop wind and water system, a set of mechanical or electronic devices that automatically regulates a process variable to a desired state or set point without human interaction. This power plant has with five windmills and two water reservoirs that use no fossil fuels and emit no CO2. Since there is significantly less pollution, this has a positive impact on the ecosystem.
