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Solar power in Portugal

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Solar radiation map of Portugal

Solar power is a growing source in the Portuguese energy mix. At the end of 2020, solar power installed capacity totalled 1.03 GW and represented 3.6% of total power generation in 2020.[1][2]

Portugal has set a goal of between 8.1 GW and 9.9 GW in installed capacity by 2030.[3]

Photovoltaic Plants

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Solar panels, Alcoutim

The Serpa solar power plant is an 11 megawatt plant covered 150 acres (0.61 km2) and employs 52,000 PV panels. The panels are raised 2 meters off the ground thus allowing grazing to continue. The plant provides enough energy for 8,000 homes and saves an estimated 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.[4]

On 9 October 2021, the largest solar power plant in Portugal was inaugurated in Alcoutim. With an installed capacity of 219 MW, the power plant has 661,500 solar panels and can power the needs of 200,000 homes. It occupies an area of 320 hectares and will prevent the emission of 326,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year.[5] It surpassed the 62 MW Moura Photovoltaic Power Station.

Fast-tracking solar PV

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Amid the economic challenges posed by Covid-19, Portugal announced a EUR 9.2 billion stimulus package in March 2020. This encompassed various measures, including expediting permits and grid connections for 220 solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The primary goal was to stimulate economic recovery, create jobs in renewables, and enhance the country's solar capacity. Additionally, these initiatives aligned with Portugal's commitment to reduce fossil fuel dependence and advance decarbonization.[6]

Recent and future auctions

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In 2019, a competitive auction for a new PV plant saw a worldwide record low bid of €14.76 per MWh, well below other generating technologies.[7] The auction awarded 1.150 MW of solar capacity to various companies, significantly more than the total installed capacity at the time.[8] A 2020 auction saw a price of €11.16 per MWh.

Solar power interest is growing exponentially in Portugal. João Galamba, the State Secretary for Energy, announced that more solar auctions would take place, including one in the second quarter of 2020 as well as that there were over 80,000 MW (80 GW) in projects awaiting analysis and approval.[9]

Another solar auction is set to launch between October 2021 and November 2021.[10] A total of 400 MW in floating solar power at dam reservoirs will be auctioned.[11]

Rooftop solar

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In addition to tenders for large scale power plants, Portugal has set a framework for the installation of small scale rooftop solar installations which came into force in January 2020.

Floating Solar Power

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In November 2016, an EDP Group pilot-project of 840 solar panels with a total capacity of 200 kWp began to produce power on the reservoir of the Alto Rabagão Dam with an annual production of 300 MWh.[12][13]

At the end of 2021, a floating solar power project at the Alqueva Dam reservoir is set to begin production. 12,000 solar panels with a total capacity of 4 MW will produce 7 GWh of power annually.[13]

Total installed photovoltaics

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History of Portuguese Cumulative PV Capacity
in megawatts; source: EPIA and IEA-PVPS[14][15][16]
100
200
300
400
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
History of Portuguese Annual PV Installations
in megawatts; source: EPIA and IEA-PVPS[14][15][16]
25
50
75
100
125
150
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
Total Capacity Installed and Generation
Year Total Capacity
in MWp 		Generation
in GWhp 		Load Factor
in per cent
2005 3.0 n.a. n.a.
2006 3.4 n.a. n.a.
2007 17.9 n.a. n.a.
2008 68.0 n.a. n.a.
2009 102.2 160 17.8
2010 130.8 213 18.5
2011 143.6 277 22.0
2012 228.8 360 17.9
2013 277.9 437 17.9
2014 419.0 631 17.1
Source: Photovoltaic Barometer, March 2015,[17] previous[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "APREN - Power". www.apren.pt. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  2. ^ "Electricity Generation by Energy Sources in Mainland Portugal (January to December 2020)". APREN. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  3. ^ Lusa, Agência. "Portugal quer mais do que duplicar a produção de eletricidade renovável". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  4. ^ Portugal starts huge solar plant
  5. ^ "A maior central solar de Portugal está pronta e a produzir o suficiente para 200 mil casas". Dinheiro Vivo (in Portuguese). 2021-10-09. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  6. ^ "Portugal 2021 – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
  7. ^ Deign, Jason (9 August 2019). "Key to Those Record-Low Solar Bids? Rosy Merchant Income Assumptions". Greentech Media. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  8. ^ "LEILÕES DE ENERGIA SOLAR". LEILÕES DE ENERGIA SOLAR. August 7, 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  9. ^ "Corrida ao sol: novos projetos para centrais solares quadruplicam a capacidade de produção atual". Expresso. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-23.
  10. ^ Brito, Ana (21 October 2021). "Governo promete leilão de solar flutuante até Novembro". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-10-31.
  11. ^ "Maior central solar do país vai crescer. Donos querem mais painéis e armazenagem". Dinheiro Vivo (in Portuguese). 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  12. ^ Lusa, Agência. "EDP investe 3,5 milhões de euros em central fotovoltaica flutuante no Alqueva até 2020". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  13. ^ a b "Painéis Solares flutuantes". edp.com (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  14. ^ a b "Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2014-2018" (PDF). epia.org. EPIA - European Photovoltaic Industry Association. p. 34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  15. ^ a b collected historical data from article growth of photovoltaics
  16. ^ a b "Snapshot of Global PV 1992-2014" (PDF). iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=32. International Energy Agency — Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme. 30 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015.
  17. ^ EUROBSER'VER (April 2015). "Photovoltaic Barometer - installations 2013 and 2014" (PDF). energies-renouvelables.org.
  18. ^ http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/baro-jdp9.pdf [bare URL PDF]
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