Canary Islands launch largest renewable battery storage system in Arico

The Canary Islands government and energy company DISA have commissioned the archipelago's largest renewable battery storage facility in Arico, Tenerife. The site combines an 8 MW photovoltaic plant with an 8 MWh battery, giving a total installed capacity of 16 MW. Funded with €2 million from the EU Next Generation programme, the system stores excess solar power for later use, reducing renewable energy curtailment and improving grid stability on the islands.

Minister for Ecological Transition and Energy Mariano Hernández Zapata highlighted that the installation can meet the whole electricity demand of La Palma for about 1.5 hours, and will serve as a model for further storage projects on other islands, including pumped‑hydro schemes. The plant was built on a previously degraded site formerly used as an illegal motocross circuit, underscoring the project's aim to repurpose land while protecting the environment.