The Canary Islands Institute of Technology, linked to the Canary Islands Regional Government’s Department of Science and Innovation, and the Gran Canaria Council, through the interurban transport concessionary company Global, have launched the first renewable hydrogen fuel cell bus in the Canary Islands, operating on the southeastern route of Gran Canaria

This "zero-emission" vehicle uses hydrogen produced at the ITC's biorefinery plant in Pozo Izquierdo—Biogreenfinery—subsidized by the Canary Islands Government through the React-EU Fund with a grant of nearly 6 million euros. The initiative is aimed at testing new biofuels for collective transport

Local authorities from the municipalities of Agüimes, Santa Lucía, and San Bartolomé de Tirajana, along with officials from the island’s transport and mobility sectors, attended the launch on Tuesday of the renewable hydrogen bus route, which will run between Playa de Arinaga and the Maspalomas Lighthouse.

The Deputy Minister of Universities and Innovation of the Canary Islands Government, Ciro Gutiérrez, representing the Ministry headed by Migdalia Machín, to which the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) is affiliated, and the President of the Gran Canaria Council, Antonio Morales, as manager of the island’s interurban transport service, took part in the inauguration of the public transport line operated by the 'Biogreenfinery' renewable hydrogen bus, the first of its kind in the Canary Islands. The event also saw the presence of the ITC’s Director of R&D&I, Gonzalo Piernavieja, and the President of Global, Manuel Suárez, accompanied by Teodoro Sosa Monzón, the Council's Minister of the Presidency and Sustainable Mobility, along with other local, regional, and island officials.

During the presentation of the inaugural hydrogen-powered transport route, Deputy Minister Gutiérrez highlighted that “the launch of the first renewable hydrogen bus in the Canary Islands marks a milestone in the Government of the Canary Islands' commitment to promoting sustainable mobility and supporting knowledge centers as key drivers of economic transformation and the green transition.”

“This achievement is the result of the ITC’s Biogreenfinery project, funded with nearly 6 million euros from the React-EU Fund, which is part of the Ministry's strategy to strengthen scientific and technological infrastructures in the archipelago. The production of renewable fuels from green hydrogen opens the door to opportunities for decarbonizing the transport sector,” Gutiérrez emphasized.

In his remarks to the media, the President of the Gran Canaria Council, Antonio Morales, stated that “Gran Canaria is undergoing a major transformation in its mobility system, with the implementation of intelligent management systems for public transport operators, including the purchase of ticketing machines, information points at stations and stops, as well as the construction of a control center to manage all the routes. The introduction of buses powered by renewable energy is a leap toward the sustainable modal system that aligns with the eco-island model promoted by the Council, which also complements our electric vehicle initiative with a network of charging stations across the island.”

“Twenty-eight percent of emissions come from transportation. Moving towards decarbonization achieves the goal of reducing emissions, breaking our dependence on fossil fuels, and advancing energy sovereignty. For the first time in the history of the island’s public transport, a route will be operated by a ‘zero-emission’ hydrogen bus. It’s crucial that public administrations—both the Canary Islands Government and the Council—and Global, the main public transport operator, work together on this,” Morales added.

The ITC's Director of R&D&I, Gonzalo Piernavieja, emphasized the technological leap this represents for the Canary Islands, which now boasts cutting-edge infrastructure like the experimental biorefinery plant in Pozo Izquierdo. “This allows us to explore the potential of hydrogen technologies and their derivatives as clean fuel sources for transportation.” Piernavieja added, “The Canary Islands is positioning itself at the forefront of advanced technologies contributing to energy sustainability in island territories. We are laying the foundations for the future of fuel for land transport and maritime navigation, which will benefit from this promising technology to reduce pollutant emissions.”

Global’s General Manager, Víctor Quintana, stated that “public transport is a fundamental tool in sustainable mobility policies. Global has always been committed to incorporating less polluting and more environmentally friendly vehicles into its fleet. Launching the first hydrogen bus in the Canary Islands is a great opportunity for us, and we are pleased to have this opportunity.”

Canary Islands: A Pioneer in Hydrogen Technologies

The hydrogen bus has a range of 400 km and consumes approximately 7 kg of hydrogen per 100 km. It is equipped with a fuel cell with a nominal power of 60 kW, which, along with batteries, powers an electric motor of 180 kW. The vehicle’s five hydrogen tanks (with a total capacity of 37.5 kg) can be refueled in just 10 minutes.

The vehicle is part of the ITC’s Biogreenfinery project, funded by the React-EU fund under the European “Next Generation EU” initiative. The project aims to accelerate the decarbonization of transport through the study and validation of hydrogen-derived biofuels. The 100% renewable hydrogen biorefinery, the first of its kind in Spain, has been operational at Pozo Izquierdo since last November and serves as a platform for researching new zero-emission fuels.