THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ISLANDS

25-26 June 2014

El Hierro Biosphere Reserve– Canary Islands – Spain

Hosting and organized by El Hierro Islands Government, RENISLA2014 will be held to celebrate the inauguration of the “Gorona del Viento” Wind-hydro Power Plant, which will make El Hierro Biosphere Reserve the first energy-isolated territory in the world able to power itself entirely from renewable energy sources.

Paving the way for a renewable energy future

On the path towards sustainable energy, some regions and communities have shown that a renewable future is possible. These are the new renewable energy islands that are beginning to emerge the world over.

Today we know that it is possible to move towards energy independence based on renewable sources of energy. To face this great challenge, UNESCO sites like the El Hierro Biosphere Reserve can play a key role by acting as global points of reference as communities run on sustainable energy.

Communities, regions, islands and countries across the world have already begun their transition to 100% renewable energy in energy supply. In this context, RENISLA2014 will be held to celebrate the inauguration of the “Gorona del Viento” Wind-hydro Power Plant, which will make El Hierro the first energy-isolated territory in the world able to power itself entirely from renewable energy sources.

Expected Outcome

This meeting will provide the platform for the exchange of experiences and information, with the objective of accelerating the launch of 100% renewable energy projects. Some will showcase their experiences while employing 100% renewable energy solutions at their sites. Others will be looking for good practices and evidence of socio-economic viability and technology reliability.

The main objective of the RENISLA2014 Forum is to create a space for cooperation and to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, technology and experiences to sites moving towards energy self-sufficiency based on renewables.

General Objectives

to create a platform where authorities and those responsible for biosphere reserves, world heritage sites and other places of interest can collaborate so as to foster projects related to 100% renewable energy supply;
to disseminate information about the opportunities, advantages and practical applications of new technologies linked to renewable energy in isolated areas;
to identify 100% RES good practices and projects of reference that can be used as case studies and can be replicated in other UNESCO sites and similar regions that are interested;
to promote interested associations as also agreements with parties like international organisations, the renewable energy industry, NGOs and interested governments to develop 100% RES projects;
to foster capacity building and awareness about the use and applications of renewable energy systems aimed at local self-sufficiency in insular or isolated communities themselves;
to promote innovative forms of local sustainable energy governance and to ensure better integration of the same in the natural surroundings as also within the social and cultural setting;
to mobilise Biosphere Reserves as examples for the development of self-sufficiency initiatives based on renewable sources while committing to the efficient use of energy.

Participation

Local, regional and national authorities
International organizations
RE Industry representatives and their associations
Development partners
UNESCO designated sites
Science and academia
NGOs

RENISLA2014 & RENFORUS

RENISLA2014 is one of the actions in partnership with the RENFORUS Initiative (Renewable Energy Futures for UNESCO Sites) initiated by UNESCO and aiming at promoting the use of UNESCO Sites (Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage Sites) as field observatories on the sustainable use of renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change and for enhancing and applying the climate change knowledge base for building green societies.

RENISLA & MAB NETWORKS – Islands & Coastal Biosphere Reserves

The 24th Session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme highlighted the key role of the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves (WNICBR) for using biosphere reserves as places for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy driven development alternatives, and in this way, contributing to climate change mitigation and sustainable development. El Hierro is a member of this network that was founded at the 21st Session of the ICC held at Jeju in 2009 and launched in Minorca island in 2012.

PDF flyer

Contacts:

Cipriano Marín – RENFORUS: c.marin@unescocan.org
Micheel Angel Acosta Hernández. Counsellor, Cabildo de El Hierro: maacosta@el-hierro.org
César Juan Espinosa Padrón. Manager, El Hierro Biosphere Reserve: cespinosa@el-hierro.org

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