Global warming.

[Joseph]

With all this talk about global warming wouldn,t it be nice to use Fuerteventura ,which is virtually barren,to use wind and solar power to desalinate sea water and irrigate the whole island to become green and grow crops.
This could be an example to the world how easy ,and show there are better ways of tackling global warming.
Spain could become world leaders in innovation.

[zedzedeleven]

I`m not sure how desalinating plants work, filters? ion exchange resin? anyway, the preferred water for irrigation seems to be from the sewage works. Not sure how things would smell if the whole island was irrigated.

[Joseph]

zedzedeleven
desalinate means to take salt out of the water which can then be used to irrigate the land..

[Brightspark]

No such thing as global warming or whatever they are choosing to call it this month....

What they should really do is call it by it's real name:
Stealth tax

[ammonite]

Just some research if anybody is interested. I am quoting the first paragraph from the article. This is not the full article by the way. (That would be this one: Quintana, S. C., Legna-de la Nuez, D., Hernández, J. H., de Lara, D. R. M., Verna, C. L., & Ceballos, J. L. R. (2015). Is jatropha-based biofuel production an economical and technical feasible option for Fuerteventura?. Arethuse 1/2 2015: Scientific Journal of Economics and Business Management, 1, 153.)

www.scirp.org/journal/PaperDownload.aspx?paperID=55391

"This article aims to assess the potential implementation of biofuel crop cultivation on an island scale to contribute to the sustainable development of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, Spain. It explores both the positive and negative economical and environmental consequences of introducing this crop and the effects it might have on transport sector fuel to aid regional and local authorities in reaching 2020 EC targets. At the end of the 1990s and at the beginning of the 21st century, there was a clear commitment in the Canary Islands to Renewable Energies (RE), particularly to wind power energy. However, a lack of government licenses for new projects and a change in legislation (Royal Decree 413/2014, 6 June) have led to stagnation or even a setback in the commitment to these forms of energy. To mention one example, on the island of Fuerteventura, there have been no new RE installations since 1998, and wind power production has remained still at 11,385MW [1] since then."

[ammonite]

On Desalination:

"Energy consumption in desalination plants depends mainly on two factors: the technology used and the water type. Two types of feed water are utilized in the Canary Islands: seawater and brackish water (from underground wells). The technologies used can be divided into two main groups: distillation and membrane.
Distillation plants can be classified into three different systems: multi-stage flash (MSF), multi-effect (ME) and vapour compression (VC). The first two (MSF and ME) are usually dual plants, produ- cing water and electricity at the same time. Distillation plants can also be classified by size, with MSF and ME the largest-sized units (thousands of m3/d) and VC units comparatively smaller (installed mostly in hotel resorts).
Membrane plants utilize two different technologies: reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodialysis (ED). The latter (ED) is not suitable for seawater, due to its high salinity, but has been widely used for brackish water.
All these different technologies have been installed in the Canary Islands to varying extents and at different times. A description of the operation of these technologies can be found in e.g. [10].
The first desalination plant in the Canary Islands was installed in 1964 in the island of Lanzarote and had a capacity of 2300 m3/d. At the present time, total desalination capacity is approximately 600,000 m3/d and all the islands have desalination units except for one, La Palma, which still uses underground water to cover all its demand. This total production capacity is diversified in all kinds of processes and plants of varying size and capacity. For the purposes of this paper, the plants themselves have been defined as large- sized (bigger than 10,000 m3/d) and small/medium-sized.
On an annual basis, desalination production in the islands is about 260hm3 (2010 data) [5]. This entails an approximate electricity consumption of more than 1000 GWh per year (con- sidering an average consumption of 4 kWh/m3). If we compare this to total electricity consumption in 2012 of about 9000 GWh, the electricity consumed for desalination purposes represents nearly 12% of total electricity demand and is equivalent to an annual expenditure of 230 million Euros (more than 600,000 Euros each day), considering an average electricity cost in the Canary Islands of 220 â,¬/MWh in 2012 [6]."

Source:
Schallenberg-Rodríguez, J., Veza, J. M., & Blanco-Marigorta, A. (2014). Energy efficiency and desalination in the Canary Islands. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 40, 741-748.

[paully]

Yawn Yawn 

[zedzedeleven]

zedzedeleven
desalinate means to take salt out of the water which can then be used to irrigate the land..

Yes, I know that, the question I`m asking is how (which method) would be used to supply potable water for the whole island. ammonite has c&p`d the methods but which would be best ?

[gattaca66]

As I understand it, reverse-osmosis is the most effective high volume process, and that is the system currently used here in Fuerteventura. Environmentally, I think it is considered less desirable than a system such as evaporation because of the high volume of extra-saline solution (waste product) which has to be managed, so maybe other methods would have to be considered if volume was massively increased? And inevitably more costly methods?

[zedzedeleven]

The waste product is presumably salt, maybe there is a market for it? I think there are some salt pans on the island somewhere

[ammonite]

If anybody takes a serious interest in desalination technologies in the Canaries they can message me and give me their email. I have access to scientific papers which I cannot give links to here, but which I can send as pdfs. There are some really good readable papers out there for which you don't need an engineering degree  I think it's pretty interesting because water is such a huge issue in the Canaries, especially in Fuerte and Lanza where there is so little ground water.

[ammonite]

Just to add, there have been several scientific studies on the use of wind power and solar energy in desalination plants in the late 1990s. The research and proposals are there and all the positive aspects have been pointed out. But this is Spain I guess and money is tight. The initial investments are high and then there is corruption, but that's another topic.

[woe10]

I've seen the diesel engines that power the de-salination plants here in Fuerteventura.
They're as big as a single decker bus, 8 of them in a row, with pistons like dustbins, and 1000's of litres of fuel to power them 24/7.

[ammonite]

^ Where have you seen them? Is the public allowed to have a look? I'd love to have a look on my next Fuerte trip. I wonder how often the tankers come in to deliver the fuel. The almost complete reliance on oil is scary.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Isn't it a desalination plant in Corralejo that is powered by the wind turbines?

Also, I posted a topic the other day regarding several proposed new wind farms on the island:
http://www.fuerteventura-forum.com/index.php?topic=21148.0

[woe10]

^ Where have you seen them? Is the public allowed to have a look? I'd love to have a look on my next Fuerte trip. I wonder how often the tankers come in to deliver the fuel. The almost complete reliance on oil is scary.

There's a man who lives in Caleta who owns the Plant in El Matorral. He took me there a couple of times. The water is pumped from the sea at Nuevo Horizonte. They have a new plant now on the right side of the Triquivijate road. The sea water pipes go under the road just south of the Horizonte roundabout. They did try wind power a few years back but the failed. I remember him replacing one of the old Perkins diesel engines , it was â,¬56,000.

[ammonite]

@Tamara
Yes, those 2 turbines power a desalination plant, although I wonder if the plant is completely reliant on wind energy. I have seen the turbines "not moving" plenty of times. I have walked close to the fence out of curiosity before and got the evil eye from some guards. I can't blame them.

I also hope that the new wind farms come to fruition. From what I understand they have been trying to get these projects realised for years.

For any geeks among you (I am one) here is a link to the the Caaf photo gallery. It shows some great photos of one of the Reverse Osmosis plants and some other great pics.
http://caaf.es/historia/galeria-de-fotos/

Presumably not something island residents think about on a daily basis and tourists take for granted and probably complain about why the water tastes funny...

[isleswing]

On Desalination:

"Energy consumption in desalination plants depends mainly on two factors: the technology used and the water type. Two types of feed water are utilized in the Canary Islands: seawater and brackish water (from underground wells). The technologies used can be divided into two main groups: distillation and membrane.
Distillation plants can be classified into three different systems: multi-stage flash (MSF), multi-effect (ME) and vapour compression (VC). The first two (MSF and ME) are usually dual plants, produ- cing water and electricity at the same time. Distillation plants can also be classified by size, with MSF and ME the largest-sized units (thousands of m3/d) and VC units comparatively smaller (installed mostly in hotel resorts).
Membrane plants utilize two different technologies: reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodialysis (ED). The latter (ED) is not suitable for seawater, due to its high salinity, but has been widely used for brackish water.
All these different technologies have been installed in the Canary Islands to varying extents and at different times. A description of the operation of these technologies can be found in e.g. [10].
The first desalination plant in the Canary Islands was installed in 1964 in the island of Lanzarote and had a capacity of 2300 m3/d. At the present time, total desalination capacity is approximately 600,000 m3/d and all the islands have desalination units except for one, La Palma, which still uses underground water to cover all its demand. This total production capacity is diversified in all kinds of processes and plants of varying size and capacity. For the purposes of this paper, the plants themselves have been defined as large- sized (bigger than 10,000 m3/d) and small/medium-sized.
On an annual basis, desalination production in the islands is about 260hm3 (2010 data) [5]. This entails an approximate electricity consumption of more than 1000 GWh per year (con- sidering an average consumption of 4 kWh/m3). If we compare this to total electricity consumption in 2012 of about 9000 GWh, the electricity consumed for desalination purposes represents nearly 12% of total electricity demand and is equivalent to an annual expenditure of 230 million Euros (more than 600,000 Euros each day), considering an average electricity cost in the Canary Islands of 220 â,¬/MWh in 2012 [6]."

Source:
Schallenberg-Rodríguez, J., Veza, J. M., & Blanco-Marigorta, A. (2014). Energy efficiency and desalination in the Canary Islands. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 40, 741-748.

I suspect that if all the desalination plants were to run off 'mains' electricity, the generation system would be unable to cope, so they have to be individually supplied. Also, in the event of a failure at the Island's only power station there would be abslutely no water. The subsea cable to Lanzarote could supply some power but nowhere near enough to keep Fuerte running.

There doesn't seem to be any 'joined-up thinking', with the Island's essential services each operating in isolation. It looks like Fuerte will be reliant on oil for a long time to come.

[Ole Man River]

Thanks to all the contributors. Most interesting.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Article in  the current Fuertextra:

http://www.fuertextra.com/current/ThePaper.html

page 2 talks about the excess power generated by the 2 wind turbines at Corralejo desalination plant.

[SheilaW]

Exactĺy, Tamara. Our desalination plant in Corralejo is so efficient that they recently hooked it up to the grid. People come here from developing countries to learn about the technology.

Agriculture would not magically thrive if water was sprayed over the whole island. A rather important ingredient is missing: soil! You can't grow crops in picon. Previous generations denuded the island with their intensive farming, exacerbated by drought. You can't reverse that in a fortnight.

[ammonite]

^ I have been wondering about an area just northwest of Betancuria. This was part of my project area so I had a closer look. The area is called Llano de Santa Catalina and there are at least 2 goat farms there which sell cheese and other products to tourists. The area around these farms shows very good soil development and I presume that something was grown there a long time ago. Now there are only a few patches which are worked and there are a couple of larger water basins. Maybe someone knows what area I am talking about.

I have read that 95% of arable land (number comes from Gobierno de Canarias) has been abandoned in Fuerte specifically in order to re-direct resources to the tourism/service sector. That has been going on for decades obviously. I don't know how much arable land there was originally, but I encountered so many derelict terraces while working on my 12.5km2 project area between Betancuria and Vega de Rio Palmas.

[duncolm]

^ I have been wondering about an area just northwest of Betancuria. This was part of my project area so I had a closer look. The area is called Llano de Santa Catalina and there are at least 2 goat farms there which sell cheese and other products to tourists. The area around these farms shows very good soil development and I presume that something was grown there a long time ago. Now there are only a few patches which are worked and there are a couple of larger water basins. Maybe someone knows what area I am talking about.

There's a section in John Mercer's book which gives some background to agriculture in the area. It describes the Brito family who established a farm in the Barranco de la Peña above Betancuria during the 20th Century.

[Joseph]

With water many things would grow on Fuerteventura.Grapes do very well on volcanic soil as do many other plants.If you look at other volcanic islands in the Caribbean and see how lush they are on volcanic ash.
Spain could set an example to the world through this innovation.