The Canary Islands Government's Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy has awarded a grant of 1,793,180 euros, funded by Next Generation Funds, to promote the energy self-sufficiency of the ULPGC. The total project investment amounts to 2,795,244 euros, with the remaining one million euros contributed by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria through the Insular Energy Council.
These actions include the installation of 15 photovoltaic projects distributed across the campuses of Tafira, San Cristóbal, Montaña Cardones, and the NESA building in Vegueta. The installed capacity exceeds 1.7 megawatts, with the Tafira campus hosting the largest portion with 1.4 megawatts.
“"Universities, in addition to being reference points for knowledge transfer, must also be leaders in sustainability and in how energy is produced and consumed."
Vice-Minister Julieta Schallenberg emphasized that the energy transition is built on knowledge and innovation, and that the ULPGC is becoming a benchmark with these exemplary initiatives. These installations are expected to generate approximately 2.85 gigawatt-hours of energy annually, covering about 25% of the University's total electricity consumption.
This project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 575,000 kilograms per year and achieve annual savings exceeding 430,000 euros on the electricity bill. The rector of the ULPGC, Lluís Serra Majem, described the justification of 100% of the allocated Next Generation funds as a "milestone" and highlighted a reduction of up to 40% in the electricity bill for the Tafira Campus.
Raúl García Brink, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy, and Knowledge of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, stressed the importance of collaboration between administrations to accelerate the energy transition, mobilizing investments that benefit society as a whole.
Among the initiatives is a large canopy installed in the parking lot of the Tafira Campus, which houses the project's largest capacity (310.64 kW) and integrates charging points for electric vehicles, promoting sustainable mobility. The roofs of the Engineering (249.60 kW) and Health Sciences (224.10 kW) buildings are also key generation points.
The project is primarily concentrated in the Tafira Campus, responsible for 40% of the ULPGC's electricity consumption, but also includes installations at the San Cristóbal and Montaña Cardones campuses, as well as the NESA building in Vegueta.
