Trade winds are common in the Canary Islands archipelago and affect not only the weather of the islands but also the local wave climate. On the other hand, the arrival in the Canaries of swells from the Southern Hemisphere is little known, but usual. The records of these swells arriving in the Canary Islands have two clear peaks throughout the year, one in spring and the other in autumn. In this work, how the trade winds influence the detection of this type of swells is studied. It is estimated that only approximately half of this type of wave that reaches the Canary Islands could be adequately recorded in the buoy output data tables by the action of these winds. Therefore, their effects may be underestimated in local wave climate studies.

In this paper, we studied the territorial, technical, and economic conditions for the potential installation of a wave energy converter plant (WEC) connected to the small power grid of the island of El Hierro (Canary Islands). To define the best location, the non-directional gross energy potential at the selected points was computed from long series of data of deep-water waves, propagated up to the coast using coefficients of refraction and shoaling calculated for the bathymetry of the island. The study concludes that the best location is the northeastern coast of the island “Llanos Blancos”, where the gross energy potential for the non-directional oscillating water column (OWC) plant used as a reference is 265.40 MWh/m per year. The methodology proposed in the work uses light computing means and affordable data series and is easily extrapolated by industry practitioners to other regions, particularly oceanic insular regions subject to waves potentially from any direction.

Numerous studies have explored the impact of extreme fetch swells from the Southern Hemisphere on the canary coasts, with most focusing on oceanographic and coastal engineering aspects. In this study, the arrival of these swells in the Canary Islands is examined. They are characterised by long periods and low height compared with its wavelength. Their smoother and more predictable nature makes them well suited for certain wave energy converters and hybrid offshore energy systems. To estimate the wave energy, the characteristic wave parameters from buoy records anchored in deep waters south of Tenerife were analysed. In addition, the data collected by this buoy were contrasted to that from the nearest virtual buoy (SIMAR hindcast point). The energy period ratio obtained from the spectral moments over the peak period is 0.87 in the study area. Although their small height reduces individual power output, their long wave periods make them particularly well suited for co-location alongside offshore wind farms. This hybrid approach could maximise energy yield from the same marine space, combining the strengths of both technologies for more efficient and consistent renewable power generation.

El oleaje de mar de fondo plenamente desarrollado que alcanza Canarias procedente del hemisferio sur, caracterizado por alturas de ola moderadas y periodos largos, es generalmente difícil de distinguir. Sin embargo, las condiciones extraordinarias de calma permitieron a la boya de Puertos del Estado en el sur de Tenerife detectarlo de forma continuada durante el mes de agosto de 2023. En este trabajo se estudia la naturaleza dispersiva y se estima la distancia recorrida por el oleaje de tipo swell que llegó a Canarias procedente del sur en ese periodo. Contrastando estos resultados con los datos del modelo Wavewatch III del NOAA, se infiere que el área de generación de este oleaje se sitúa en la zona extratropical del Atlántico Sur, donde la actividad ciclónica es notable a lo largo de todo el año, y más aún durante el invierno austral.

Low-level coastal jets are a common climatic phenomenon along much of the coast of Tenerife. However, there are large differences in intensity and frequency between the northern and southeastern facades of the island, even though both are exposed to the trade winds. This study analyzes how a local factor, such as the existing vegetation cover, influences this phenomenon. Comparing the wind records and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index of both exposed facades, it is observed that the lower the values of this index of vegetation cover, the greater the increase in the mean diurnal wind speed. It can be stated, from nine years of study, that there are clear indications of a relationship between the vegetation index used and the low-level coastal jet intensity.