Projects

The Cabildo and the EOI launches a collaborative work space “Coworking” for innovative entrepreneurs

“The objective of the coworking is to promote entrepreneurship and innovation on the Island, for this purpose a Group and Individual Training Project will be carried out within the framework of a Collaborative Workspace (Coworking)”.

The Innovation Service belonging to the New Technologies Area of the Cabildo de La Palma, headed by Councilor Jorge Gonzalez, in collaboration with the School of Industrial Organization (EOI), will launch a new coworking space in Santa Cruz de La Palma, based on a collaboration agreement recently signed by both corporations. The Coworking establishes the creation of a joint space for the establishment of previously selected entrepreneurs. The aim is to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, while increasing the probability of success of innovative projects in a limited period of time, identifying those with the greatest potential for development. This will be achieved by increasing entrepreneurial skills and increasing the number of sustainable businesses and self-employment initiatives created, promoting self-employment, entrepreneurship and business creation, including micro, small and medium-sized innovative enterprises, and in the process fostering entrepreneurship and increasing the probability of success of entrepreneurial projects at an early stage of development over a limited period of time.

The first edition, which will open soon, will last 5 months and will accommodate a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 22 innovative projects. Those selected will be provided with a high-performance workspace, will receive 60 hours of training on entrepreneurship and project management, as well as personalized tutoring and mentoring for each project.

Throughout the editions of the Coworking project, different events will take place with the aim of promoting networking among entrepreneurs and other agents of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this edition, a Demoday will be held in the final weeks in which the projects and their scope will be presented after the process carried out.

The EOI is a state public sector foundation dedicated to train professionals, produce and disseminate knowledge and offer valuable services to companies, entrepreneurs and administrations, in the values of an open, social, green and digital economy.

The Cabildo has developed the Energy Efficiency Consultancy and Technical Assistance Service Project. The initiative, framed as a key action within the Antares Project, is part of a joint effort between the Cabildo of La Palma and the fourteen municipalities of the island and has the financial support of the European Energy Efficiency Fund.

The project is in line with the commitment to sustainability at international level. The European Commission has launched a movement under the name of the Covenant of Mayors by which the signatories commit themselves to exceed the 20-20-20 target: reduction of energy consumption by 20%; to reach a 20% share of renewable energies in the total portfolio; to reduce the total amount of CO2 emissions by the same amount. In the case of La Palma, all the Mayors have signed the Covenant and its successful implementation is considered an opportunity to appear in the international sphere and to promote the brand of Isla Inteligente Sostenible.

Scope and work to be performed.

The scope of the project encompasses both energy efficiency audits and initiatives related to the promotion of renewable energies and the improvement of mobility and urban services, always keeping the focus on sustainability.

• Energy Efficiency. Energy audits have been carried out on up to 92 public buildings and facilities among the properties of the Cabildo and the fourteen municipalities of the island. The buildings chosen were, among others, Town Halls, museums, schools, sports centers, tunnels, etc. Likewise, audits were carried out on all the outdoor public lighting of the Island and the results of both blocks of audits have served as a basis to identify the transformation initiatives, technically and economically feasible, which generate greater energy savings.
• Sustainable Energy. This part of the project aims to analyze the potential of sustainable energies, focusing on hydro, wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, biomass and micro-cogeneration technologies. Specifically, a technical-economic evaluation of 25 renewable installations was carried out and, additionally, the analysis was completed with a study of the “state of the art” of storage equipment and the detail of its viability on the Island.
• Sustainable Mobility Plan. The scope of the Plan covers the entire geography of the island of La Palma, although it also takes into account relations with the exterior through its transportation nodes (port and airport).  The work included a diagnostic phase that consisted of analyzing current mobility on the island and determining the problems associated with the different modes of transport, and a master plan that determines a strategy to solve the problems efficiently, in accordance with the global objectives of the Public Administrations.
• Operations and Technology Model. This model will be based on an understanding of the existing situation in order to identify the potential for improvement and define a new one in accordance with technological possibilities and current social trends. The new model should encourage greater interaction between the citizen and the Administration and be open to continuous improvement.

Benefits

The project is expected to generate the following benefits:

1. Generate important economic savings from the increase of energy efficiency of the energy consuming equipment of the Island.
2. Attracting new investors to further develop the island and benefiting all its inhabitants, with the development of a new economic sector.
3. A perceptible improvement of services to citizens through mobility and telecommunications.
4. Strengthen the international positioning of the island as a sustainable tourist destination through the concept of Intelligent Island.

More information and documentation download (www.energia.lapalma.es)