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The archipelagos of Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde) have isolated energy systems (IES). This makes the island systems dependent on themselves for energy production. In the case of an island like Gran Canaria, energy production is mainly obtained from: a) Wind and solar energy, 19 % of the total energy produced, b) Energy obtained from the burning of fossil fuels in the energy production equipment of the existing power plants. Thermal power plants, 81 % of the total energy produced. It is necessary to find a solution to the current production system, which is already partially obsolete and must be renewed and/or dismantled, in order to avoid "Zero Energy", which implies a change in the production cycle. In addition, the incorporation of the "Chira-Soria" pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant into the Gran Canaria electricity system represents another, even more important, change in the dynamics followed up to now. Basically, this plant, hydraulically stabilized by means of a seawater desalination plant, incorporates energy storage by storing water at high altitude to be turbined under the right conditions. The new situation with this incorporation will be analysed and the option of integrated operation in the overall energy system of Gran Canaria will be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gran Canaria, due to its status as an island, has an isolated energy system (IES). This has made it dependent on itself for energy production, which is basically obtained from: (a) Wind and solar energy, which equals 19% of the total energy produced, (b) Energy obtained from the burning of fossil fuels in the energy production equipment of the existing thermal power stations, which equals 81% of the total energy produced. A solution must be found to the current production system, which is already partially obsolete and is due for renewal and/or decommissioning, in order to avoid "Energy Zero", which means a change in the production cycle. In addition, the incorporation of a pumped hydroelectric energy storage plant "Chira-Soria" into the Gran Canaria electricity system represents another, even more important, change in the dynamics followed up to now. Basically, this plant, which is hydraulically stabilized by means of a seawater desalination plant, incorporates energy storage by storing water at high altitude to be turbined under appropriate conditions. The new situation will be analyzed with this incorporation and the option of an integrated operation in the overall energy system of Gran Canaria will be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential application of renewable energies is diverse, and they have demonstrated their suitability in their application to the size and operation of activities. Rural tourism is one of the products with the greatest potential for growth within the tourist offer of the island of Gran Canaria, as it combines sustainable development and respect for the natural environment. Among the renewable energies with high applicability in rural environments, we highlight photovoltaic solar, low-temperature solar thermal and the methanation of waste and wastewater generated in tourism. This article shows a methodology adapted and developed for the study of the water-energy-waste nexus, considering parameters of waste generation, water and energy consumption, the occupied area and potential renewable energy generation in rural houses in Gran Canaria and evaluates their environmental profitability. It has been concluded that applying these renewable technologies can significantly reduce the carbon and ecological footprint of the activity of rural houses based on the available surface. This contributes to achieving the energy and environmental objectives proposed by the EU to achieve decarbonization by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) is characterized by a large variability of volcanic rocks reflecting its volcanic evolution. The geological map provided by Geological Survey of Spain at 1:25.000 scale shows more than 109 different lithologies and it is too complex for environmental and engineering purposes. This work presents a simplified geotechnical map with a small number of classes grouping up units with similar geotechnical behaviours. The lithologies were grouped using about 350 rock samples, collected in the seven major islands of the Archipelago. The geotechnical map was used to model rockfall hazard in the entire island of Gran Canaria, where rockfalls are an important threat. The rockfall map was validated with 128 rockfall events along the GC-200 road, located in the NW sector of Gran Canaria. About 96% of the events occurred along sections of the road where the number of expected trajectories is high or moderate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]