The Government Board approves transforming the Local Energy Management Agency into a public business entity with greater autonomy. The goal: to reduce energy dependence and lower residents' electricity bills.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has taken a firm step towards energy sovereignty. The Government Board approved this Thursday the conversion of the Local Energy Management Agency (ALGE) into a public business entity that will autonomously manage the energy and environmental sustainability of the municipality. The file, promoted by councillor Gemma Martínez Soliño, will be submitted to the next plenary session for final ratification.
The new public company is founded on three key pillars: energy transition (installation of renewables and efficiency in municipal buildings), environmental sustainability (green infrastructure and climate change adaptation), and local energy communities, the most innovative element. “We want our people to pay less for their electricity bills,” Martínez Soliño emphasised.
A commitment from 2023 that becomes reality
The transformation of ALGE responds to the tripartite government pact signed in June 2023, which included the creation of an efficient public body to align the city with European and state guidelines. The process has required over two years of technical, legal, and political work, with favourable reports from the Municipal Legal Advisory, the General Intervention, Human Resources, and Heritage.
“We are working hard to ensure that Las Palmas de Gran Canaria does not fall behind in the energy transition. We are a city with energy dependence from abroad that costs us millions, but also with sun, wind, and political will,” declared the Energy councillor. The entity will retain the rights and obligations of the current ALGE, as well as its staff, but will gain management flexibility while maintaining public control.
Less emissions and lighter bills
The Climate and Sustainable Energy Action Plan (PACES) of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria sets a 2030 horizon to reduce CO₂ emissions by 40%. The public energy company will be the tool to fulfil that mandate: it will be able to receive direct orders, tender renewable projects, manage facilities, and seek European funding. “Agility and efficiency, that’s what we need in the City Council regarding energy management,” Martínez Soliño insisted.
One of the flagship projects is the so-called Rooftop Revolution, which aims to install solar panels on municipal rooftops and promote self-consumption among residents. The councillor noted that the entity will also promote energy communities so that citizens “pay less for their electricity bills” and that energy comes predominantly from renewable sources. The Canary capital spends millions a year importing energy, a burden that the new company aims to alleviate.
The transformation of ALGE into a public business entity will also allow for public-private partnerships and access to European funding lines. The next step will be the approval in the municipal plenary, scheduled for the coming weeks. If it goes ahead, the company will start operating at full capacity throughout 2027.
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