Exploring optimized solutions for wind and solar power deployment in a case study for the Canary Islands

Exploring optimized solutions for wind and solar power deployment in a case study for the Canary Islands | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Exploring optimized solutions for wind and solar power deployment in a case study for the Canary Islands Sonia Jerez, Judit Carrillo, Albano González, Juan Pedro Díaz, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7103773/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Solar and wind power are key pillars in the transition toward decarbonized electricity systems, but their integration is challenged by weather-driven intermittency. To address this, the CLIMAX tool was developed to support actionable strategies for deploying wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities that reduce production volatility. In this case study, CLIMAX is applied to the Canary Islands, an insular region with diverse climatic conditions, to generate optimized deployment scenarios. The objective is to minimize residual demand (net electricity demand minus renewable generation) by leveraging the spatio-temporal complementarity of wind and solar resources. Results show that optimized strategies can improve system stability by up to 20 percentage points relative to current deployment patterns. These gains are achieved through a balanced approach combining (i) adjustment of the wind-to-solar ratio in the mix and (ii) spatial redistribution of facilities to prioritize complementarity over mere productivity. As a trade-off, optimized configurations often involve lower capacity factors, since site selection considers joint performance rather than isolated potential. The study also assesses the role of urban rooftop PV systems, demonstrating that ambitious coverage thresholds could transform underused urban surfaces into valuable energy assets—an insight with clear implications for integrated planning and renewable energy policy. Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7103773","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":484200558,"identity":"8172b10d-4805-4a9e-8794-c86c58af1141","order_by":0,"name":"Sonia 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