Energy Solutions for Decarbonised Energy Islands (Walqa Technology Park, Huesca (Spain)), E-Land Project

The continued decarbonization of the energy sector using renewable energy sources provides opportunities for local energy systems (LES) and challenges for existing electricity networks. Mainland regions such as isolated villages, small cities or urban districts oftentimes have issues with weak or non-existing grid connections. 

E-LAND is an international project that develops a toolbox to facilitate local energy islands to leverage multi-energy systems from technological and business perspectives while at the same time building strong support from local communities. By focusing on local energy islands, E-LAND links the potential of digitalization to the coupling of different energy sectors. Walqa technology park is the Spanish pilot with a single node connecting it to a stranded distribution power grid and having renewable generation is a microgrid. Therefore, Walqa aims to become not only a self-sufficient electrical island, but also a reference energy community in Spain as an example of local energy markets.