innogy wind power project on Galapagos Islands receives National Energy Globe Award of Ecuador

Beginning of June the Galapagos San Cristóbal Island Wind Project received the National Energy Globe Award of Ecuador, one of the world’s most prestigious environmental prizes. The jury honoured the hard work and dedication of the GSEP initiative on the island of San Cristóbal, conducted under the auspices of innogy and together with American Electric Power.

The initiative was awarded for the planning and construction of three wind turbines on this Pacific island, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wind farm with an installed capacity of 2.4 megawatts now provides electricity from renewable energies for a population of approx. 6,000 people.

Peter Terium, CEO of innogy SE: “innogy is committed to creating a sustainable energy system for new generations to live in a world worth having. Our Galapagos wind project is a small, but perfect example for how we live this mission: It is about decarbonisation and decentralization of energy systems, it is about sustainability and wildlife protection and it is about close collaboration with partners. We are very pleased that the project won this prestigious award.”

The wind farm is Ecuador’s first and longest-operating wind project. Since its commissioning in 2007 the three 800 kW turbines are operating reliably and have produced over 26 million kWh of electricity to San Cristóbal’s customers, preventing the emission of over 21,000 tonnes of CO₂, compared to a full diesel supply. Together with two 6 kW solar photovoltaic systems, which were also installed by the GSEP initiative, the wind farm supplies approximately 30% of the island’s electricity needs.

The project has been financially sustainable, generating over $3.4 million US in revenues since 2007. It is registered under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism. The project was completed with the support and collaboration of the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, the Government of Ecuador, EOLICSA and ELECGALAPAGOS.

The GSEP initiative is an association of leading global electric power producers that are seeking to ensure a sustainable energy supply, particularly in developing and threshold countries. The aim of GSEP is to provide developing and threshold countries with information and expertise for the sustainable and climate-friendly generation of power. The activities of the network include a range of assistance, support and training programmes.