Canary Islands government approves geothermal exploration drilling in Tenerife
Playa de Tenerife, Spain (source: Alquiler de Coches, creative commons)
Carlo Cariaga
29 Apr 2025
Exploratory geothermal drilling has been approved by the Government of Canary Islands on four sites in the southern part of Tenerife.
The Governing Council of the Canary Islands has approved the start of geothermal resource exploration surveys on the island of Tenerife, particularly for a number of sites that were tendered back in 2021. The main goal for this project would be to assess geothermal potential for the sites, located in the southern part of Tenerife, through exploratory drilling, and thus assessing the feasibility of geothermal electricity generation.
The “TF-Sur Soundings” project will involve four mining grids assigned in the tender. The Tahatan and Tikahit sites have been assigned to commercial entity Energia Geotermica de Canarias, while two sites in Barranco Hondo will be managed by the Technological Institute and Renewable Energies (Instituto Tecnológico y Energías Renovables / ITER). The licenses were awarded to these two companies back in 2024.
Salient to the approval is the decision to exclude the “TF-Sur Soundings” project from the simplified environmental impact assessment procedure. This was done to comply with European regulations that establish a timeframe to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in Europe. None of the surveys planned are located within natural areas belonging to the Canary Islands Network of Protected Natural Areas or the Natura 2000 Network, which justifies the decision.
The council decided that initiating such a process could cause a delay that would be more environmentally damaging than the planned research activity itself.
Furthermore, the project has been evaluated and validated by specialized technical personnel from the Canary Islands Government and the Tenerife Island Council. The government will implement all environmental monitoring protocols throughout its execution to ensure compatibility with the environment, as this project represents a real opportunity to move toward a cleaner, more renewable, and more indigenous energy model.
Once the operation is complete and the drilling equipment is dismantled, the ground will be restored to its original state, ensuring no permanent environmental impact in the affected areas. The excavations will also be backfilled and leveled with the material accumulated in the nearby stockpile area.
Source: Gobierno de Canarias
