On 20 October 2026, more than 50 participants attended a seminar in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria dedicated to the role of renewable energy communities in advancing the clean energy transition. The event featured a presentation by NESOI Plus partner Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC), highlighting the project’s activities and the opportunities offered by community-led energy initiatives in island territories.
Renewable energy communities and their potential to support more sustainable and resilient island energy systems were at the centre of a seminar held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 20 October 2026.
The event marked the final session of a series of seminars organised within the framework of a collaboration with the Island Authority of Gran Canaria, bringing together more than 50 participants interested in renewable energy and local energy initiatives.
Among the speakers was Gonzalo Piernavieja, Director of R&D at the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC), a partner of the NESOI Plus project.
Renewable energy communities: an opportunity for island territories
During his presentation, entitled Renewable Energy Communities in the Context of the Outermost Regions: A Tool to Advance the Decarbonisation of Island Energy Systems, Gonzalo explored the opportunities that renewable energy communities offer to island territories.
Islands face particular energy challenges, including their dependence on imported fossil fuels, higher energy costs and the need to strengthen the resilience of their energy systems.
At the same time, their abundant renewable energy resources offer significant opportunities to develop more sustainable and locally driven energy solutions.
The presentation highlighted how renewable energy communities can help address these challenges by encouraging shared renewable energy production, reducing barriers to clean energy access and enabling citizens, businesses and local authorities to participate more actively in the energy transition.
Beyond their environmental benefits, these initiatives can also contribute to local economic development, social inclusion and stronger community engagement.
Highlighting NESOI Plus and its support for renewable energy communities
The seminar also provided an opportunity to introduce NESOI Plus, an European project funded under the LIFE Programme that supports the development of renewable energy communities in the EU’s Outermost Regions.
The project focuses on the Canary Islands, the Azores and Martinique, providing technical assistance, tailored business models and capacity-building opportunities to help local initiatives overcome barriers to development and access financing.
During his presentation, Gonzalo highlighted the project’s activities and shared an important milestone: 11 renewable energy community initiatives in the Canary Islands have been selected through the first NESOI Plus Open Call.
These initiatives will benefit from technical assistance aimed at strengthening their feasibility, developing sustainable business models and preparing them to access future investment opportunities.
By supporting local initiatives, NESOI Plus aims to contribute to a more decentralised, participatory and sustainable energy model across the participating regions.
From ideas to practical solutions
To illustrate how renewable energy communities can contribute to local decarbonisation, the presentation also introduced ConnectHeat Costa Canaria, an initiative focused on renewable heating, cooling and electricity generation in the tourism sector of Gran Canaria.
Located in Playa del Inglés, the initiative brings together different local stakeholders around a shared approach to renewable energy, demonstrating how cooperation can help address the energy needs of tourism-related businesses and residential buildings.
The example reinforced one of the seminar’s central messages: renewable energy communities are not only about technology, but also about bringing people and organisations together to develop solutions adapted to their local needs.
Strengthening local engagement for the energy transition
With more than 50 participants, the seminar offered a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of renewable energy communities and share knowledge about their potential benefits for island territories.
For NESOI Plus, the participation of ITC also contributed to increasing the project’s visibility among local stakeholders and highlighting the support available to renewable energy community initiatives in the Canary Islands.
Events like this demonstrate the importance of knowledge sharing and local collaboration in turning renewable energy ambitions into concrete opportunities for island communities.
👉 More information about the seminar: https://www.spegc.org/formacion-y-eventos/charla-magistral-comunidades-energeticas-renovables/
