Three Wind Farms Proposed for Tenerife’s Coast
Mencey, Granadilla, and Primavera are the names of three offshore wind farm projects proposed for development across 92.10 square kilometres of maritime space off Tenerife’s southeast coast. This area was allocated by Spain’s Maritime Spatial Planning Plan (POEM), approved by the Council of Ministers on 28 February 2023, and covers the coastal waters of Güímar, Fasnia, Arico, and Granadilla de Abona. The three initiatives, which together aim to generate 72.3 megawatts of green energy for the island, have encountered fierce opposition from both local politicians and the region’s fishing sector.
Primavera: The Latest Project in Public Consultation
The most recent wind farm proposal undergoing approval is Primavera. The preliminary administrative authorisation and environmental impact statement for this project are currently in a period of public consultation. According to the published documentation, its construction will cost €40 million and could supply clean energy to 19,000 homes. To be located in waters assigned to the port of Granadilla, the promoting company, Primavera Offshore Wind SL, has requested a concession of 1,500 square metres of public port domain.
The experimental floating offshore wind farm will use W2Power technology and consist of a single unit with a capacity of 11 megawatts, generated by two wind turbines of approximately 5.5 megawatts each. The company states that the project “will help decrease the island’s dependence on current energy sources based on fossil fuels, especially for consumers near the port of Granadilla.”
Locations of the Granadilla and Mencey Projects
The proposed ‘Granadilla’ offshore wind farm would be situated off the coast of San Miguel de Tajao and Las Maretas in Arico. Meanwhile, the ‘Mencey’ project would be located near Las Eras and Porís de Abona, also within the municipalities of Arico and Fasnia.
BlueFloat is the company seeking to create a 50-megawatt offshore wind farm in the waters of the port of Granadilla (near the neighbourhoods of Las Maretas and San Miguel de Tajao). Separately, Capital Energy applied for authorisation to site another floating offshore wind farm in a strip encompassing Porís de Abona and Las Eras. This project would occupy 11.3 square kilometres with 10 wind turbines of 15 megawatts each.
Fierce Opposition from Fishing Communities
The development of these infrastructures in southeast Tenerife faces determined opposition from local fishermen. When BlueFloat’s interest in building its ‘Granadilla’ offshore wind farm near Las Maretas and Tajao became known in March 2022, the San Miguel de Tajao Fishermen’s Guild expressed its outright rejection of the initiative. They argued that the construction, the space it would occupy, and the complex’s activity would drastically reduce the fishing grounds in the area. The fishermen stated they were not against renewable energy, “but we are against this type of project because it affects fishing.”
Municipal Councils Voice Their Concerns
The fishermen found backing from local authorities. “Our clear and outright position is one of rejection towards the offshore wind farm project,” said the current mayor of Arico, Andrés Martínez. The current first deputy mayor, Olivia Delgado, warned of impacts on the population and the physical, biological, socioeconomic, cultural, and landscape environment.
As the former mayor of Arico, Sebastián Martín, pointed out, “Arico already has more than 22% of its surface area occupied by onshore wind farms,” which are privately owned and have rights to expropriate land. “Here we have the island’s landfill, which occupies half the surface area of Puerto de la Cruz,” he added, “and now they are going to surround us from the sea with offshore wind farms. All without dialogue or consensus.”
The situation in Fasnia is no different. Its mayor, Luis Javier González, added to the listed drawbacks the impact the ‘Mencey’ offshore wind farm would have on the protected area of the Acantilado de La Hondura. He described it as “a privileged environment to be conserved,” but also warned the project would have “a significant visual impact.”
The Designated Maritime Zones
The 92.10 square kilometres of maritime area that the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge reserves on the island for installing wind farms are divided into two zones called TEN1 and TEN2. TEN1, covering 21.32 square kilometres, is situated southeast of the coast of Granadilla de Abona. TEN2 reserves the remaining 70.78 square kilometres, also in eastern Tenerife, covering a coastal strip of Arico, Fasnia, and Güímar.
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