The improvement of the water supply in the region with the expansion of the desalination plant will also include the installation of solar panels to optimize energy consumption.
This Monday, December 2, the project for the expansion of the Sureste Seawater Desalination Plant (EDAM), located in Pozo Izquierdo, was officially presented. The event was attended by the president of the Sureste Association and mayor of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Francisco García; the president of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales; the mayor of Ingenio and first vice president of the Association, Vanesa Martín; the mayor of Agüimes and second vice president, Óscar Hernández, together with the Councilor for the Primary Sector, Food Sovereignty and Water Security of the Cabildo, Miguel Hidalgo; the Councilor for Institutional Cooperation and International Solidarity of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Carmelo Ramírez; the councilor for Public Services, Mobile Park, Parks, Gardens and Water, José Miguel Vera; the manager of the Association, Abel Ghosheh and of the Gran Canaria Island Water Council (CIAGC), Carmelo Santana.
The project has a total budget of 4.030.099,81 euros, 100% financed by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through the Island Water Council (3.100.000 euros) and the Mancomunidades Cooperation Plan (930.099,81 euros). Distributed 1.462.373,39 euros in civil works and 2.567.726,42 euros in equipment.
The expansion will increase the plant's desalinated water production capacity by 5.000 m³ per day, from the current 33.000 m³/day to 38.000 m³/day, through the installation of a highly energy-efficient desalination module.
This improvement is part of the Action Plan to Mitigate the Effects of Drought (PAMES) and the programme of measures of the Third Cycle of Hydrological Planning of Gran Canaria (2021-2027). The increase in capacity will help guarantee the supply of drinking water and water for agricultural and industrial use in the municipalities of the Commonwealth: Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Ingenio and Agüimes, especially in a context of a 30% reduction in rainfall in the last three years and increases in demand due to population growth.
The expansion of the EDAM includes the installation of the Desalro 2.0 experimental module, designed by the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) within the framework of the Desal+ Living Lab project, co-financed by the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and the Information Society (ACIISI) and the MAC 2014-2020 Programme. This reverse osmosis technology will allow an energy consumption of 1,85 kWh/m³, compared to commercial values of 2,35 kWh/m³, positioning this plant as a world benchmark in energy efficiency.
The project, which has all the necessary permits, will be put out to tender immediately and will have a completion period of 18 months. With this extension, the Mancomunidad del Sureste and the Cabildo de Gran Canaria reinforce their commitment to water sustainability and the development of key infrastructures for the well-being and progress of the region.
Installation of photovoltaic panels for energy efficiency
The expansion of the desalination plant will also take advantage of the facility's roof to install more photovoltaic panels, with a power of around 40 kWp, contributing to the sustainability of the project. This initiative is part of the Mancomunidad's commitment to clean energy, taking advantage of the abundant resources of sun and wind in the Southeast of Gran Canaria. The integration of solar panels will reduce the plant's electricity consumption, improving its energy efficiency and minimizing its carbon footprint.
The president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, recalled that “the Mancomunidad del Sureste was born in times of drought and water shortages, with the vision of guaranteeing the supply of water for both agriculture and the population. Over the years, various extensions have been carried out in the desalination plant, and with this latest one, progress continues to be made towards this same objective. This extension is fully financed by the Cabildo, through the Cooperation area and the Island Water Council.”
“Thanks to this investment, within a period of one and a half to two years, the Community will be able to increase its production by 5.000 m³ per day (33.000 m³/day to 38.000 m³/day), which will contribute to ensuring the development and economic evolution of the region,” concluded Morales.
For his part, the president of the Mancomunidad, Francisco García, highlighted the transformative impact of water policies in the region, “what was a weakness in the Southeast of Gran Canaria, such as the lack of water, we have turned into a strength for consumption and agriculture. And not only in this territory, but we can also boost this capacity in areas such as Tunte, in the capital of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. However, we must be forward-thinking and look to the future, because this is the territory of Gran Canaria that is growing the most. Santa Lucía de Tirajana has practically doubled its population in the last ten years. Therefore, it is essential to be prepared to undertake this infrastructure, and what better way than with the help of the Mancomunidad del Sureste”.
In this regard, García highlighted “the opportunities offered by ITC research to implement innovative solutions here, at a lower economic cost, that allow us to produce an additional 5.000 m³ per day. Thus, in the coming years, the Southeast will reach a total capacity of 38.000 m³/day.”
The president also highlighted the Mancomunidad's commitment to renewable energies, since, "with this action we are not only focused on expanding the plant, but we are also going to take advantage of the opportunity to install photovoltaic panels, which will allow us to reduce electricity consumption. We have already invested nearly one million euros in this line, with the installation of approximately 1.062 panels. In addition, in this expansion we are considering installing panels on the roof of the desalination plant, in line with our commitment to clean energy. If there is one thing that is abundant in this area, it is sun and wind."
Finally, García thanked the Cabildo of Gran Canaria for its decisive support for this project “because this extension will be 100% financed by the island institution, which demonstrates the firm commitment to the Southeast of Gran Canaria and its sustainable development.”
