Page 15 - U4SSC Compendium of survey results on integrated digital solutions for city platforms around the world

3 El Hierro island

3.1 City Profile

El Hierro is the southernmost and westernmost island of the Canary Islands, Spain, and has the
highest density of volcanoes in the Canary Islands.

El Hierro comprises three municipalities: Valverde, La Frontera and El Pinar. Historically, its economy
has been based on the primary sector as the main pillar and on an incipient tourism sector that, in
recent years, has been linked to its sustainable development model.

This commitment to a sustainable development model led UNESCO to declare it a World Biosphere
Reserve in 2000 and a World Geopark in 2015. The Sustainable Development Plan includes the
El Hierro, 100% RES strategy and its objective is to introduce the use of renewable sources in all
sectors where energy is required.

El Hierro is a first-rate island laboratory with palpable examples of sustainable development that
can be replicated in other places on the planet and whose most obvious example is found in
the operation of its hydraulic power plant. Based on wind and hydroelectric power, El Hierro
has managed to become the first energy-isolated territory in the world to aspire to energy self-
sufficiency through renewables. In August 2015, El Hierro's entire electricity demand was met with
renewable resources.

The Island Councils (Cabildos Insulares) are institutions of the Autonomous Community of the
Canary Islands. As organs of the government and the administration, they represent each of the
seven islands in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. According to the Statute of
Autonomy of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo Insular of El Hierro is responsible for exercising its
authority along with those that are transferred or delegated to Cabildos. This is in accordance with
the development and execution of the agreements adopted by the Government of the Canary
Islands and in line with the terms established by the laws of Parliament.
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3.2 Strategic approach.

The objective of transformation into a “Smart Island” is part of the global sustainability strategy that
El Hierro has been following for the last 25 years.

This strategy seeks to reverse the difficulties faced by a remote and isolated territory (double
insularity) with few economic resources and significant orographic difficulties by using a new
approach to address the issues as well as seizing the opportunities arising from these singularities.

The strategy seeks to put natural resources at the service of the people, making the island self-
sustainable from all points of view and promoting an economy that is in line with this strategy:

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