Gran Canaria Arena is accelerating its energy transition and is positioned as one of the most advanced sports venues in the country for renewable energy management. Following the commissioning of a photovoltaic plant with a total peak capacity of 860 kWp, the venue now incorporates a renewable energy storage system of 2,150 kWh—the largest project of its kind in a FIBA arena—developed by Veolia and Green Efficient Solutions, Wattkraft Iberia’s Canary Islands partner. The installation thus positions the venue as a benchmark in the sports sector by integrating generation, storage, and intelligent management designed to optimize real-time energy consumption and reduce grid dependence.
In addition to the installed capacity, the project stands out for how that energy is managed, as it incorporates an Energy Management System (EMS) developed and supplied by Wattkraft Iberia, Huawei’s Value Added Partner for the distribution of its FusionSolar product portfolio, which automatically coordinates generation, storage, and consumption based on real-time demand.
A system that adapts to real-time demand
Thanks to this software developed in-house by Wattkraft, the installation no longer operates as a static system but becomes an infrastructure capable of adapting at every moment. The EMS monitors and controls all assets in a centralized way, optimizing self-consumption and managing the charging and discharging of the batteries according to the arena’s energy demand at any given moment. Wattkraft has also developed a graphical interface accessible through its own server that allows pre-configuring different venue usage scenarios, so the system automatically prepares the batteries to respond to demand peaks associated with sporting events and other activities.
This approach enables the utilization of surpluses, improves overall efficiency, and ensures that available energy is used when it is truly needed. In a space like Gran Canaria Arena, where demand varies significantly during events, this management capability is decisive for balancing consumption and generation.
Storage to cover consumption peaks
The storage system is composed of ten Huawei LUNA2000-215KWH units, which incorporate lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, and seven SUN2000-100KTL-M2 inverters. These solutions have been designed specifically for commercial and industrial environments with high reliability requirements.
With a total capacity of 2,150 kWh, the installation stands as the largest storage project developed to date in a FIBA arena, surpassing others such as West Arena, which has a storage capacity of 1,500 kWh. According to estimates from the Cabildo, the system can cover the energy consumption of a two-hour sporting event, thereby strengthening the arena’s energy autonomy during moments of peak activity.
The project was carried out by Veolia, while Green Efficient Solutions supplied the storage equipment and inverters. Wattkraft contributed its expertise in energy management solutions for the C&I sector, integrating the EMS system as a key element to optimize the operation of the installation.
In the words of Jesús Heras, Technical Director Southwest Europe of Wattkraft, “this project demonstrates how the integration of renewable generation, storage, and energy management systems can transform the operation of large facilities. It is not just about adding technology, but about coordinating it to improve efficiency, flexibility, and adaptation to an increasingly dynamic electrical system.”
In the words of Sebastián Martínez, CEO of Green Efficient Solutions, “this project proves that the decarbonization of public infrastructure in the Canary Islands is already a reality when photovoltaic, storage, and energy intelligence are combined. The Gran Canaria Energy Council’s support, backed by NextGenerationEU funds, makes Gran Canaria Arena a reference case: a facility capable of reducing emissions, improving its energy autonomy, and generating estimated savings of around €1,000 per day thanks to the combination of the photovoltaic plant and the battery system.”
