Sodepal to take the lead on geothermal exploration in La Palma, Canary Islands

El Paso, La Palma, Canary Islands (source: Rolf Dietrich Brecher / flickr, Creative Commons)

Carlo Cariaga 9 May 2023

The public company Society for the Promotion and Economic and Social Development of La Palma (Sodepal) has adapted its statutes to participate in the promotion of high-enthalpy geothermal energy as a source of renewable electricity in the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.

Through its Renewable Energy Management Center (CGER), Sodepal aims to develop the first geothermal power plant in Spain and promote La Palma as a technical-scientific hub.

Raquel Diaz, CEO of Sodepal, stated: “To achieve this goal, Sodepal must participate in two simultaneous challenges: on the one hand, to obtain the research mining permits that are currently in the bidding phase, and on the other, to join forces with other entities and public and private initiatives to attend applications for aid to carry out feasibility studies within the ‘Sustainable Strategy in the Canary Islands’, which will soon be published by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE)”.

Diaz added that the aid can cover a good part of the cost of carrying out the surveys and other work necessary to determine the viability of the geothermal resource.

Sodepal, through the CGER project, assumes the challenge of coordinating all the actors involved to exploit this resource, raising funds from the Next Generation instrument, and accelerating the implementation of the energy transition.

The Government of Canary Islands had previously identified Gran Canaria, La Palma, and Tenerife as high-potential islands for geothermal development. Following this, tenders for geothermal research have been announced for all three islands, with Repsol being awarded two exploration permits in Tenerife.

Source: Cope La Palma