Starting today, the Elder Museum of Gran Canaria is hosting the new travelling exhibition of Red Eléctrica Group "Connected to the future: The Energy Transition". A new, more interactive and digital experience, designed to promote knowledge about the energy transition and a more active role for consumers. The exhibition, which combines both an analogue and digital approach, is made up of different stages in which the visitor, in an educational and fun way, takes on a leading role through tests, games, experiments and even solving an escape room. An Immersion experience into the world of energy and telecommunications as fundamental keys to the green and digital transformation that our country is undergoing.

During the opening ceremony, coinciding with International Museum Day, the Manager of Canary Islands Regional Office, Ainara Irigoyen, highlighted how important it is for companies and institutions to involve society in this transformation process: "It is essential for citizens to know that they are the protagonists of the energy transition and to count on them as essential allies. At Red Eléctrica we fully assume, due to our role as the backbone of this transition, the responsibility to participate in this dissemination process, and this exhibition is undoubtedly an example of this". 

Thus, the exhibition returns completely renovated 10 years later to the Canary Islands, the location selected by the company for its relaunch. "This is not a coincidence, but rather a tribute to a land that has been taking important steps in the fight against climate change and the energy transition," added Irigoyen. 

On the other hand, the director of the Elder Museum, José Gilberto Moreno, pointed out "how lucky we are to be able to have an exhibition like this in the Canary Islands. At the Elder Museum we have always wanted to make our users aware of the real climate emergency we are suffering and its consequences. The exhibition ‘Connected to the Future: The Energy Transition’ will allow us to learn in an interactive, dynamic and fun way the important role we play in achieving a more efficient and sustainable future".

With this initiative designed for the general public, families and students, Red Eléctrica Group has set itself a triple objective: to raise awareness among visitors about the effects of the climate emergency; to explain the challenges of the Energy Transition and the sustainability commitments of the 2030 Agenda; and to convey the active role that consumers will play in the future. 

Juan Bola, the Manager of Electricity Control Centre Department, and  Daniel Pérez, the Manager of Infrastructure for the Canary Area, both spoke at the opening day, explaining the exhibition's main features: electricity and connectivity; the operation of the electricity system; the tools and new technological advances that favor the role of society and people in the energy transition; and the Salto de Chira reversible hydroelectric power plant, the first large energy storage system in the Canary Islands.

The Salto de Chira reversible hydroelectric power plant will have its own module, which will only be present at the exhibition as it passes through Gran Canaria. A unique opportunity to connect with the future of the island through augmented reality glasses that will allow visitors to take a virtual tour of the Salto de Chira power station.

Tickets can be obtained by registering on the following website www.conectadosalfuturo.com until next October when it will resume its tour of Spain with a second stop in Tenerife. 

An interactive and digital exhibition for all audiences 

To make visitors the protagonist of the exhibition, they need to have a smartphone on which they will receive a personalized QR code on arrival that will serve as a key to unlock the different contents along the route, which they can do in groups or individually.

The first stop, dedicated to electricity and connectivity, aims to immerse visitors in the world of energy and telecommunications through a series of fun games and experiments aimed at acquiring basic knowledge about the properties of energy or the transmission of data and images. Besides, this module has one of the greatest attractions of the exhibition: a 1:10 scale model of the Hispasat Amazonas 1 satellite, which is a space tool that provided coverage for television and communication services to Europe and Latin America between 2004 and 2017. All this knowledge will be very useful throughout the rest of the exhibition.

The second stop takes us to the central space of the exhibition and has a large model on which the different scenarios of the "path of light" are projected in order to explain how the electricity system works. In addition, through a virtual tour, visitors can learn about the operation of the Electricity Control Centre (Cecoel), an infrastructure from which Red Eléctrica de España operates the electricity system, as if it were the brain of the system, to guarantee a quality and safe electricity supply at all times.

In order to play a leading role in the energy transition, it is essential to be familiar with it. For this reason, the third module analyses the challenges and commitments involved, explaining key aspects such as the integration of renewables and digital transformation. In this area, the exhibition dedicates a specific module to the Salto de Chira reversible hydroelectric power plant, an infrastructure that will contribute to guaranteeing the security of supply in Gran Canaria, promoting an energy model based on the integration of renewable generation that will favor greater energy independence for the island.

To conclude, the last two stops on the route are dedicated to the commitments we take on as a society and as individuals, to raise awareness of the active role we have to play in the new electricity system, focusing on the tools and technological advances we have at our disposal to help us build a better future for all. 

In addition, to encourage visitor participation, a virtual escape room has been developed, in the form of an online adventure game. An activity full of mysteries related to the content of each section, in which players will become aware of the leading role they play in the energy transition.