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INNOVATION FROM THE INTEGRATION OF RES POINT OF VIEW
From this point of view this project is the first one trying to implement a system that
will provide circa 80% of the electricity demand by RES (in this first phase, 100% in a
second phase -see chapter B 3.2-) in an isolated area (not connected to any electrical
grid). From this point of view this project will represent a milestone for the electricity
supply by RES for isolated island (which are the most of them) with the adequate
orography.
Hundreds of European islands could benefit from the results of this project and
thousands of islands world wide, what could benefit clearly not just life quality on
isolated islands but the European Electricity Industry, taking advance of this experience
and replicating it on European islands and world wide.
On the other hand it is also the first time that a project on an island integrates so
many different RES: Wind energy, minihydro, photovoltaic, solar thermal energy and
biofuels. From the point of view of RES integration in isolated areas it is also an unique
experience.
INNOVATION FROM THE TECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW
Grid stability
As it was mentioned before the Canarian Government has established a law that sets a
maximum of 12% of wind energy penetration into the grid (12% of the conventional power
installed). This law tries to avoid imbalances in the electricity system (typical problem
of weak grids, in the Canary Islands each island has his own electrical grid).
In this system, and following the results of the "Grid Stability Study"
(carried out by the University of Las Palmas) 30% of the electricity demand will be
directly covered by the new wind farm (direct penetration of wind energy into the island
grid: 30%).
As far as we know no isolated island (weak grid) has such a big direct wind
contribution. The island will be a laboratory for grid stability issues and the experience
will contribute to define the real wind penetration limit. Not just the Canary Island but
all isolated European island and world wide could benefit from this experience in order to
set real limits to the direct wind penetration into weak grids.
The Wind-Hydro Power Station
The most innovative part of the project from the technical point of view is the
Wind-Hydro power station. This is an innovative concept of combination of 2 RES: wind and
hydro power, using the water as energy storage. This is the first experience world wide of
a Wind-Hydro power station that will provide the 75% of the electricity demand of an
isolated area and it is also, with difference, the biggest Wind-Hydro power station ever
built.
In any case, as far as we know, there are two experiences of constructed wind-hydro
power stations, both on isolated island.
One of them is an European project on the Foula Island, part of the Sethand Island,
Scotland (lies in the Atlantic about 50 kilometers West of the town of Lerwick). The
project was submitted in 1985 (project number: 512/85 UK). The facilities of this project
were:
- Wind turbine: 60 kW
- Micro-hydro generator: 23,5 kW
- Pump station: 5,5 kW
- Diesel engine: 23,4 kW
Unfortunately we can not provide any information about the real operation and results
of the project because there is no final report in the EC (this information has been
electronically requested several times to CORDIS and all the answers we got were negative:
there is no final report about this project in the EC files). The brief project
description we have was found in an article published in 1988.
The other project is located on the Hawaii Islands. The facilities of this project
were:
- Wind turbine: 75 kW
- Reversible turbine-generator/motor-pump: 37 kW
- Battery rating: 1185 amp-hours
Technical Innovation in the Hydro-Pumping Power Station
Hydro-pumping power station are wide used world wide and in Europe. Normally this kind
of system pumps water during the night-time (when the kWh is more economic) and produces
electricity during the daytime using the hydro power station (when the kWh is more
expensive). This system is used by power utilities set on the continent -big electricity
grids- and they buy the electricity to another power utility during the night-time (e.g.
from nuclear power stations) and sell electricity during the day. The facilities used to
be a reversible turbine-generator/motor-pump and one penstock, the system pumps or turbine
(never both at the same time).
The present project will be very innovative because it will use only one penstock for a
system that is pumping and turbine at the same time. This technical innovation will save
the cost of one penstock (approx. 1,2 million €)
INNOVATION FROM THE ELECTRICITY MANAGEMENT AND THE SOCIAL POINT OF VIEW
On El Hierro Island the power utility is the owner of the power station (diesel power
station and wind farm, which are the only systems connected to the island electricity
grid) and it is the one on charge of its exploitation and the one distributing and selling
the electricity. In this sense an innovative system for the wind-hydro power station
management will be introduced. A consortium, consisting mainly in three institutions
(including the power utility and the Island Government), will be owners of the Wind-Hydro
Power Station.
But, even more, the population will be directly involved in the project because they
will be co-owners of the Wind-Hydro power station. A share scheme will be develop, so that
every inhabitant of the island will have the opportunity to buy some shares. Explanation:
A part of the shares bellowing to the Island Government will be divided into small shares
(each one very economic), so that everyone can buy one or several of these shares,
becoming then co-owner of the Wind-Hydro Power Station. So the population of El Hierro
Island will be part of the project and see it as something bellowing also to them. This is
a very innovative system from the social point of view and an effective way in order to
involve the island population in the project. In this sense there is a experience (with
some similarities) on the Samso Island (Denmark), where a wind farm is owned by a
co-operative formed by several institutions and by the island inhabitants.
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