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Science and technology in the Canary Islands

By Lucy_jc
  • The first astronomical expedition

    The first astronomical expedition

    In 1856, Charles Piazzi Smyth, an Italian-born British astronomer, reached Tenerife. There he set up a camp on Mount Guajara. This site-testing expedition was the first to ever occur in the Canary Islands.
  • An aerogenerator was built in Gran Canaria

    An aerogenerator was built in Gran Canaria

    It was not until 1950, they built an aerogenerator that would light up the runway of the Gando airport in Gran Canaria.
  • The Observatorio Astronómico del Teide was founded

    The Observatorio Astronómico del Teide was founded

    It was provisionally founded in 1959 in order to study the astronomical qualities of the sky of the Canary Islands.
  • The first European seawater desalination plant

    The first European seawater desalination plant

    This plant was first installed in 1964 on the island of Lanzarote. Its current desalination capacity in the islands stands a 55% over the water demand.
  • The first telescope in the Teide Observatory

    The first telescope in the Teide Observatory

    This telescope was given to the observatory in 1964 by the University of Bordeaux.
  • The Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands

    The Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands

    It was founded in 1975 and depended on the Universidad de La Laguna.
  • The agreement and Protocal for Cooperation in Astrophysics

    The agreement and Protocal for Cooperation in Astrophysics

    It was an agreement signed between Spain, Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Thanks to this agreement, the telescopes currently at the institute were bought. It was signed in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
  • The islands were named "macro laboratory"

    The islands were named "macro laboratory"

    As they have such extense natural resources and landscapes, as well as having and being one of the world's richest areas of biodiversity. It is estimated that around 80% of Spain's biodiversity lies in the Canary Islands.
  • The wind farm was built

    The wind farm was built

    In 1988, they finally built an experimental windfarm in Granadilla, Tenerife. A few years later they also built one in Arinaga, Gran Canaria.
  • The first two wind farms to produce energy were built

    The first two wind farms to produce energy were built

    Two official wind farms were built to produce electric energy. One was in Granadilla , Tenerife and the other was in Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria.
  • Agreement with the ESA was reached

    Agreement with the ESA was reached

    In 1994, an agreement with the European Space Agency was reached in order to install the telescope at the Teide Observatory.
  • El Hierro is declared a Biosphere Reserve

    El Hierro is declared a Biosphere Reserve

    It was named this as it had a great wind station.
  • The Spanish Bank of Algae was founded

    The Spanish Bank of Algae was founded

    It is an infrastructure of the Universidad of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Its objecitves are the isolation, conservation, supply and development of cultivation techniques.
  • El Hierro set a new standard in sustainability

    El Hierro set a new standard in sustainability

    In 2014, the island of El Hierro set a new standard concerning sustainability.
  • The El Hierro hydro-wind plant was inaugurated

    The El Hierro hydro-wind plant was inaugurated

    It was created to ensure the energy autonomy of the island and its 11,00 inhabitants. It substituted the fuel plant at the time.
  • Lanzarote becomes a training spot for austronauts

    Lanzarote becomes a training spot for austronauts

    The European Space Agency has been training austronauts on the volcanic terrain of Lanzarote since 2016.

  • The Spanish Bank of Algae awarded prize

    It was awarded with the Can of Plata in the field of sciences. Later on in 2020, it re-won the award once again.
  • The Canary Islands became popular to the film industry

    The Canary Islands became popular to the film industry

    In 2018, over around 350 productions alone were shot in the Canary Islands.
  • Elisa the wind turbine was installed

    Elisa the wind turbine was installed

    It is a self-installing offshore wind turbine developed by a consortium controlled by Esteyco Energia in Spain. It is installed just off the shore of Gran Canaria. It is Spain's first offshore wind turbine.