Teide Cable Car now operates using 100% solar energy, and produces zero CO2 emissions

In 2024, Volcano Teide has achieved an unprecedented milestone: eliminating CO2 emissions in the operation of its facilities at Mount Teide. This makes it the first cable car service in the world that is not connected to mains electricity, and that operates exclusively on renewable energy.

This unprecedented achievement not only completely eliminates CO2 emissions, but also establishes Tenerife as a global benchmark in sustainability and responsible tourism.

This is all thanks to a pioneering, hybrid, photovoltaic system that combines the use of solar panels with high-performance batteries, and a powerful energy management tool capable of intelligently managing the network. Teide Cable Car now uses exclusively solar energy to cover all its energy needs, marking a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ in the history of Teleférico del Teide and of the cable car industry.

This ground-breaking project was developed in collaboration with companies from the Canary Islands and Spain together with major international companies, and it proves that it is possible for technology to work in harmony with the environment—Volcano Teide’s main priority in this initiative.. By reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by the equivalent of 600 tonnes per year, Volcano Teide is not only protecting the Teide National Park, it is also inspiring a significant change in the way in which tourism resources are managed in protected natural areas in the interests of their integrity and sustainability.

This achievement is a clear declaration of principles for the sustainable future that we want to leave for future generations.

What environmental milestone of worldwide importance has Volcano Teide achieved with its cable car?

Volcano Teide has achieved a pioneering breakthrough of worldwide significance by becoming the first cable car not connected to the mains electricity network to operate exclusively with renewable energies—through an innovative system, unique in the world, that has enabled the service to completely eliminate CO2 emissions in the generation of electricity. This allows the cable car service to be powered by solar energy and batteries.

The system uses a powerful management tool capable of taking decisions intelligently to guarantee an electricity supply to the cable car at all times and also to guarantee the safety of all visitors.

In addition, an energy management system specifically designed for cable cars (ESFOR) is incorporated which makes energy consumption more efficient in driving the cabins. This project, thanks to its unique features and challenges, marks a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ in the global cable car industry.

So, 24th September 2024 marks a new milestone in the history of the Teide Cable Car, with the launch of the new, hybrid, photovoltaic energy generating system at the Visitors’ Centre, in an area not connected to a mains electricity supply and, what is more, a system that does not emit CO2 to the atmosphere.

How does this breakthrough achieved by Volcano Teide help to care for the environment in the Teide National Park?

The implementation of this renewable energy system at the Teide Cable Car Visitors’ Centre contributes significantly to the protection of the natural environment of the Teide National Park.

By moving away from depending on diesel engines to cover the energy needs of the facilities, and by eliminating the equivalent of over 600 tonnes of CO2 per year, we are not only minimising our carbon footprint, but also protecting the biodiversity of our natural environment (designated a National Park in 1954 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007).

Furthermore, it has not been necessary to fit new surfaces on the roofs of the various buildings in order to install the 525 solar panels needed to guarantee the electricity supply to the facilities. The work therefore has complied with the National Park regulations, thus assuring the preservation of the setting and its environmental equilibrium.

This project forms part of a broad Sustainability Programme prepared by Volcano Teide, which includes activities such as:

• Management of visitor capacity at the National Park using digital tools.
• Encouraging shared transport for Volcano Teide staff, and encouraging the use of shared transport for visitors by offering excursions organised by Volcano Teide itself.
• Management of water and its conservation.
• The implementation of measures to conserve the biodiversity of Mount Teide.
• Contributing to the investigation and dissemination of research on topics related to the Park.
• Extending the economic benefits to the islands’ business network, which includes over 75% of our suppliers.
• Training of the workforce on sustainability issues, among other subjects.

What does the hybrid, photovoltaic system installed at the Teide Cable Car Visitors’ Centre consist of, and what are its advantages?

• The hybrid photovoltaic system now installed at the Teide Cable Car Visitors’ Centre consists of 525 solar panels that generate energy and send it directly to the cable car.
• The energy not needed for operating the facilities is stored in batteries.
• Management of the energy supply is controlled at all times by a powerful energy management tool, which takes intelligent decisions depending on the levels of solar energy generated, storage levels in the batteries and the energy needs of the cable car.
• In addition, we have incorporated an innovative energy management system specifically for cable cars (ESFOR being the English abbreviation), whose function is to improve the efficiency of energy consumption by the cable car cabins in their normal operation.
• Given that we are not connected to an electricity supply network, the energy management system can decide (if at any time the situation requires it) to demand the support of a generator whose only function is to recharge the storage batteries and continue to guarantee that the energy needs are met.

Which companies have we worked with to make the 0% CO2 emissions aim a reality, and what benefits does the system have?

In designing and building the hybrid photovoltaic system that is now in operation at the Volcano Teide facilities, we have had the support of the industry’s flagship companies from the Canary Islands, from Spain and from abroad.

• The ESFOR System (Energy Storage System For Ropeways) was developed by one of the world’s biggest energy sector corporations: the Austrian group Doppelmayr, which also owns the Swiss company Frey AG.
• The independent electricity network for the facilities (microgrid) was designed by the Canary Island innovation and technology company R7, with storage technology by Cegasa (Spain) and equipment by Riello (Italy).

Similarly, we have collaborated with various Volcano Teide partner companies that routinely supply us with a range of support and technical maintenance services.

The hybrid photovoltaic system is an advanced technological system that enables Teide Cable Car and its facilities to operate independently, on 100% clean energy and without a connection to any electricity network, by means of a combination of solar energy, high-performance batteries, and a powerful energy management tool.

The ESFOR System, especially designed for cable car cabins, guarantees a stable electricity supply by preventing surges in the energy consumption demanded by a bicable cable car such as that operated by Volcano Teide. It is also sustainable, even in extreme, high-mountain conditions. This represents an advance that revolutionises the cable car industry across the world, thanks to its ability to eliminate the emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere and to reduce dependence on energy.

The advantages of ESFOR include its ability to manage rapid charging and discharging cycles, a reduction in dependence on external sources of energy, and an improvement in the quality of the electricity supply, all of which make possible an efficient operation that is respectful of the environment.

The solar energy, captured by photovoltaic panels, is converted into an inexhaustible resource that respects the equilibrium of nature and that provides electricity for the cable car.

As a picture (or a video) is worth a thousand words, we have prepared a simple video to explain the energy management system that we have installed (available to view below).

What challenges has Volcano Teide faced in implementing this innovative hybrid system at its cable car service?

The introduction of this new energy management system has not been without significant challenges.

• Firstly, the system was installed and tested outside normal working hours in order to avoid interruptions to the service. The greatest challenge was to guarantee the operation of the facilities while the new system was being configured.
• In addition, it was necessary to design a completely self-sufficient system, capable of generating and storing all the energy needed for the operation of the cable car, which is not connected to the electricity network.
• Another challenge was to ensure optimum performance by the system’s components in a high-mountain setting, with extreme high and low temperatures, strong winds and low atmospheric pressure.
• Finally, we needed to be confident that the system could manage the surges in demand for energy while the cable car was in operation, particularly at times of high energy demand, such as the starting-up of the cabins and towards the end of the cable car’s climb to each of the four towers in its ascent towards the terminal station at the peak of Mount Teide.

In the following video, you can see excerpts from interviews that we have conducted with various people involved in the design, implementation and launch of the new, 100% solar energy system.

Would you like to know more? You can view the complete interviews and further audiovisual material about this historic milestone in the history of Volcano Teide on our YouTube channel.

Why does this system mark a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ in the services offered by Volcano Teide at its facilities on Mount Teide?

The hybrid photovoltaic system represents a radical change in the operation of the Teide cable car and its facilities in the National Park, establishing a new standard in the cable car and funicular industry by switching to a system that is 100% solar powered and with zero CO2 emissions.

By operating exclusively on renewable energy, Volcano Teide is not only drastically reducing its environmental impact, but also offering visitors a unique experience, free of emissions, that combines advanced technology with a profound respect for nature.

This system is an example of how technological innovation can contribute to responsible tourism, presenting Tenerife and the Canary Islands as sustainable tourism destinations, spearheading the transition towards a cleaner and greener future, and serving as a model of inspiration for other projects committed to the environment.

In the following time-lapse video, you can see the process of fitting the photovoltaic panels at our facilities in just 15 seconds.

Every time you book any Volcano Teide activity with a ticket for the Teide Cable Car included, or you visit the facilities at our Visitors’ Centre, you become part of a global movement towards a more sustainable and responsible tourism model.

Your experience will not only lead you to discover one of the world’s most impressive landscapes: you will also be actively contributing to the preservation of our planet, thanks to a responsible and respectful visit to the Teide National Park that will, in turn, help you to reduce your carbon footprint.

We encourage you to find out how to become a real ‘teidelover’ by helping to care for Mount Teide. Now download the manual with a list of 10 good practices to follow to enjoy a respectful visit to the Teide National Park.

Finally, we would like to point out that this project has been co-funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU, within the Plan for Recovery, Transformation and Resilience.

We are inviting you to become part of this global breakthrough, and to enjoy an experience that is a gift to you and to future generations. With your visit, you are helping to write a new chapter in the history of responsible tourism.

 Come and discover the Teide volcano in a way that really makes a difference!