What should visitors and residents know about ICEREH?
The ICEREH 2026 energy congress began in Valverde on 10 November, and the official congress site says it ends on 13 November. The name stands for International Conference on Renewable Energy El Hierro, and this is the first edition.
The Fundación General of the University of La Laguna (ULL) gives 10 to 14 November instead. Its registration page also lists an excursion, “Discover El Hierro”, on Saturday 14 November.
The venue is disputed too: the official site names the Sala de Congresos y Auditorio de La Peña in Valverde, while other sources mention the Centro Cultural Asabanos and the ULL catalogue says only “Auditorio de la isla”. The matter is not settled.
The programme on the official site shows only daily registration from 08:00 to 16:00. Nothing says whether guests may drop in without registering, or what a day ticket costs.
Who can take part and what does it cost?
According to the congress site, interested people can register by email at info@conferencerenewablehierro26.com, subject to available places. Enquiries have been possible since 16 September.
The ULL catalogue instead asks for registration in person at the Fundación General office in La Laguna. Interested people should ask the organisers directly which route applies.
The cost is stated nowhere: the pages checked give no amounts, and the “Precios de inscripción” (registration prices) section has no figures. The Cabildo mentioned only reduced rates until 31 July 2026, and that deadline has passed.
The Fundación General lists 36 teaching hours and 105 places. According to the congress site, the price includes the Cabildo’s “Discover El Hierro” excursion.
A gala dinner, a welcome cocktail and a guided tour are planned as side events. A shuttle is planned between the hotels in the larger municipalities and the congress centre, but its cost is not fixed.
How do guests get to El Hierro?
According to the congress site, accommodation and travel go through the agency Viajes Insular. Anyone already on the island needs none of this.
Binter lists direct flights from many mainland cities, including Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, Vigo, Santander and Palma. There is no information on travel from the other Canary Islands.
What is the congress about, and why El Hierro?
The congress covers solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and marine energy, as well as hybrid generation systems. It also deals with energy storage, sustainable mobility and artificial intelligence in the energy sector.
Professor Mario García-Sanz is a confirmed speaker, and the Cabildo says he led research programmes at the US agency ARPA-E for eight years. His talk is titled “Reimagining Energy: The Most Substantial Transformation in Recent History”.
The island has its own power plant: the Gorona del Viento hydro-wind plant opened on 27 June 2014. It has five Enercon E70 wind turbines of 2.3 megawatts each, 11.5 megawatts in total.
The Cabildo holds 66% of the plant, Endesa 23%, the Canary technology institute 7% and the Canary government 3%. The source does not explain why these add up to 99%.
Cabildo president Alpidio Armas expects a boost for accommodation, restaurants, shops and transport. According to ISTAC, the Canary statistics institute, renewables supplied 43.7% of the El Hierro grid.
On La Palma the figure was 9%. It was measured over a twelve-month period before August 2025.
Does the craft fair take place in December 2026?
Whether the craft fair takes place in December 2026 is open. The Cabildo announces the XIX Feria Insular de Artesanía (island craft fair) at the Casino de Valverde from Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 December, but names no year.
12 December 2026 is a Saturday, so the weekdays given do not fit. They match 2024, and there is no confirmation for 2026.
The last confirmed Cabildo fair ran from 9 to 11 July 2025 in Valverde, tied to the Bajada de la Virgen de Los Reyes. On 3 December 2025 the Cabildo also presented “Encantos de Navidad: Comercio y Artesanía” with more than 40 exhibitors.
The printed programme plans an opening at 16:00 and a fashion show at 19:00 on the main street between the Casino and the Puente. It gives no admission price, number of stalls or travel details.
CITA News therefore does not list the fair as a 2026 date. Anyone travelling to Valverde in December should ask the Cabildo first.