There are 2 hydroelectric projects in Los Sauces and barlovento, both making good use of natural valleys to force water through generating stations. Solar power is one of the big boom areas, well the sun is reliable and plentiful in La Palma. Projects are gearing up at Tijarfe, Puntagorda, Fuencaliente, and Valle de Aridane.

Wind power will also be utilised with installations at key points such as Mazo, Fuencaliente and Garaffa. It’s true that La Palma, like its ambitious neighbour, El Hierro is a small canvas to work on, but the main factor in its favour is a political will to adopt these new power sources and to make them work for the good of the island.

The venue is the Rafael Daranas cultural centre in Santa Cruz, the island capital, and entry is free, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Caja Canarias banks, social and cultural unit. From Monday to Friday, doors are open at 9.30 am till 1.30 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm. There is Saturday opening, but just from 10 am till 1.30 pm.

The exhibition brings together the investigative work of Juan Carlos Carracedo and the impressive photography of Juan Sergio Socorro, both highly regarded for previous work in their chosen field. The images and data are brought together to give vast panoramic views of various volcanic scenes from the formation of the Canary Islands. It should be well worth seeing, but hurry as the event closes on June 28.

Back in 1994, La Palma led the way when the Canary Islands were introducing the law of the sky, that limits light polution. That’s why astronomers chose the island for the observatory at Roque de Los Munchachos, 2,400 metres above sea level.

Things are about to become even clearer with a investment of just over one million euros to update lighting across the island and reduce sky polution by a further 35 per cent. The money is coming jointly from the La Palma Cabildo (government) and the Spanish ministry of education and science, and 2,976 street lights will be replaced with softer lighting in the process.

The law of the sky affects all of the Canary Islamds, but La Palma takes particular pride in the way it has implemented the law and educated people to respect it. There are 14 large telescopes at the La Palma observatory, including Galileo (pic) the Italian national telescope.

The island of La Palma has just marked a year since it introduced it’s Starlight initiative to protect the night skies from light polution. The Canary Islands government has a sky law that makes sure that only a certain softer version of street lighting is used and generally protects it from harsh intrusions. This continues a long tradition of astronomy based on the Canary Islands, where the night sky is noted for it’s clearness.

Looking forward

It all goes back 150 years ago, when an astronomer, Charles Piazzi Smyth visited Tenerife and wrote a book praising the trade winds and layered air streams that made the Canary Islands perfect for star gazing. La Palma is now at the centre of the astronony world with a 189 hectare observatory 2,400 metres above sea level at Roque de los Muchachos, the islands highest point.

The project was started in 1982 and the site now boasts 14 working telescopes supplying information to countries around the world. Pride of place goes to GRANTECAN, Gran Telescopio de Canarias, the biggest segmented primary mirror in the world. It took it’s first look into space in January 2007, and is being tuned to perfection in 2008 before it undertakes it’s full work load.

The telescope has captured the imagination of the scientific world and even Queen guitarist Brian May was been a frequent visitor as he completed his PHD in astronomy. Keeping the skies clear is another challenge that faces the Canary Islands if they are to stay at the forefront of the ecology movement.