The César Manrique Foundation presents a study that qualifies the deployment of renewable energies in Lanzarote as 'neoextractivist', warning of the occupation of agricultural land and the lack of citizen participation.
The César Manrique Foundation has hit the nail on the head. A report prepared by the Bioeconomy Group of the University of Santiago de Compostela over a year and a half concludes that the current model for implementing renewable energies in Lanzarote is 'neoextractivist'. The study gathers the voices of fishermen, farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and environmental groups, all of whom agree that the ecological transition is necessary, but not at any cost.
The coordinator of the team, Rosa María Regueiro Ferreira, explains it bluntly: "We are applying in the renewable sector the same thing we applied in the fossil sector." This statement resonates strongly on an island that has based its economy on tourism and agriculture, and now sees how wind and solar parks advance without a plan that respects its singularities. The study warns that the current model jeopardises the future of the inhabitants of Lanzarote.
73.67% of ZAR land is agricultural protection
The recent approval of the Renewable Acceleration Zones (ZAR) by the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Lanzarote has set off all alarms. The approved maps reserve 3.75% of the island's land for large installations, when to meet energy objectives only 0.23% would be sufficient. The most concerning data is that 73.67% of the land classified as ZAR is under agricultural protection. Researchers believe this means "mortgaging the island's capacity to produce food".
The water issue adds another layer of complexity. Lanzarote loses more than half of the desalinated water due to leaks in the network, and the tourism sector consumes 44.5% of the total, far exceeding the 4.1% that corresponds to agriculture. Regueiro raises the question: "How are they going to lead an agricultural expansion if they don't have guaranteed water?" Reducing those losses, the report insists, would allow for a decrease in energy demand "without installing a single wind turbine".
At sea, the situation is no more promising. Two offshore wind projects, promoted by Ocean Winds and Capital Energy, are advancing without sufficient studies on the seabed or fishing. The planned wind turbines will reach 247 meters in height — just 70 meters shorter than the Eiffel Tower — and will be located less than two kilometres from the coast, the shortest distance in all of Spanish maritime planning. Fishermen in the north also fear increased pressure on the La Graciosa Marine Reserve.
Proposals for an alternative energy model
In light of this scenario, the study proposes a clear order of priorities. Before occupying new land, it is urgent to upgrade the five existing wind farms, which total 40.7 MW and can cover up to 35% of electrical consumption at peak times. It also advocates promoting photovoltaics on urban and industrial rooftops, which are already degraded. The European directive RED III, the team reminds, requires prioritising precisely those lands.
The Danish model emerges as a reference. In Denmark, by law, the ownership of renewables is predominantly local and the benefits remain in the territory. Damiano Volpi, an environmental technician on the team, insists that no alternative has "zero impact", but that early citizen participation "increases social acceptance and fosters territorial cohesion". The César Manrique Foundation also proposes that new installations be publicly owned and managed through energy communities.
The energy debate in Lanzarote reflects a tension that runs throughout the archipelago. The Canary Islands, governed by the Canary Coalition with external support, has opted to accelerate renewables, but has done so under a model that concentrates investment in large companies. The Cabildo of Lanzarote, of the same political colour, has experienced an internal schism: it approved the ZAR and weeks later called for their suspension in the face of local opposition. Meanwhile, the offshore wind projects — still in processing — lack impact studies on local fishing grounds.
For the residents of Lanzarote, the issue is not minor. The occupation of agricultural land threatens local food production, while leaks in the water network represent a waste that increases supply costs. The César Manrique Foundation puts forward an alternative path: public ownership, upgrading, and energy communities. The window of opportunity is now open, as Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 demands transparency and early participation in the delimitation of the ZAR. The next meeting will be at the citizen participation tables that the Cabildo plans to convene in the coming months. There, residents will be able to decide whether they want a model that prioritises landscape and agriculture or one that favours large installations.
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