English 
Español 
Given the great potential of renewable energies, they are designed to play an essential role in future European energy. Their use has great strategic value for Europe, which is making a big effort in its attempt to achieve clean, efficient safe energy system while guaranteeing the EU industrial leadership in low carbon emission energy technologies.
The Macaronesia archipelagos have common energy problems whose solutions might be exportable to West Africa to contribute to sustainable energy development in these regions with expanding economies, maximising implementation of RES use. The Canaries and Madeira energy systems are characterised by high dependence on outsourced energy. These territories lack conventional energy resources; nevertheless, RES abound, particularly solar and wind energy. This problem is replicated in any weak grid such as those of Cape Verde and Mauritania.
The ENERMAC project (Renewable Energies & Energy Efficiency for the Sustainable Development of the Macaronesia Islands & West Africa) seeks to find solutions enabling existing barriers to RES technology incorporation to be overcome and develop strategies designed to maximise use of renewables in the energy mix of the Macaronesian archipelagos and West African emerging countries. To this effect, it seeks to maximise penetration of the RES in weak grids, promoting the large lines they are going to act on at energy level: Energy Planning, Rational Use of Energy; and Analysis of Grids & Micro-grids.
With this, it is essential to create a network of excellence in the RES and energy efficiency field, where knowledge generated is shared among the participating bodies, fostering training and personal researcher exchange, all with a view to the necessary co-operation of the different competent bodies in the regions to apply know-how acquired collaboratively to resolve the energy problems of the regions involved.
