Solar power in Portugal

File:The Solar Panels.jpg

The Serpa solar power plant is an 11 megawatt plant covered {{convert|150|acre|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.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5056012.stm Portugal starts huge solar plant]

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.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-09|title=A maior central solar de Portugal está pronta e a produzir o suficiente para 200 mil casas|url=https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/economia/nacional/a-maior-central-solar-de-portugal-esta-pronta-e-a-produzir-o-suficiente-para-200-mil-casas-14202900.html|access-date=2021-10-10|website=Dinheiro Vivo|language=pt}} It surpassed the 62 MW Moura Photovoltaic Power Station.

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.{{Cite web |title=Portugal 2021 – Analysis |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/portugal-2021 |access-date=2024-01-31 |website=IEA |date=7 July 2021 |language=en-GB}}

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.{{cite news |url=https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/merchant-income-is-key-in-latest-record-solar-bids#gs.v30pkw |title=Key to Those Record-Low Solar Bids? Rosy Merchant Income Assumptions |last=Deign |first=Jason |website=Greentech Media |date=9 August 2019 |access-date=12 August 2019}} The auction awarded 1.150 MW of solar capacity to various companies, significantly more than the total installed capacity at the time.{{Cite web|url=https://leiloes-renovaveis.gov.pt/|title=LEILÕES DE ENERGIA SOLAR|date=August 7, 2019|website=LEILÕES DE ENERGIA SOLAR|access-date=2020-02-23}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://expresso.pt/economia/2020-02-17-Corrida-ao-sol-novos-projetos-para-centrais-solares-quadruplicam-a-capacidade-de-producao-atual|title=Corrida ao sol: novos projetos para centrais solares quadruplicam a capacidade de produção atual|date=2020-02-17|work=Expresso|access-date=2020-02-23}}

Another solar auction is set to launch between October 2021 and November 2021.{{Cite web|last=Brito|first=Ana|title=Governo promete leilão de solar flutuante até Novembro|url=https://www.publico.pt/2021/10/21/economia/noticia/governo-promete-leilao-solar-flutuante-ate-novembro-1981448|access-date=2021-10-31|website=PÚBLICO|date=21 October 2021 |language=pt}} A total of 400 MW in floating solar power at dam reservoirs will be auctioned.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-10|title=Maior central solar do país vai crescer. Donos querem mais painéis e armazenagem|url=https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/empresas/maior-central-solar-do-pais-vai-crescer-donos-querem-mais-paineis-e-armazenagem--14203780.html|access-date=2021-10-10|website=Dinheiro Vivo|language=pt}}

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.

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.{{Cite web|last=Lusa|first=Agência|title=EDP investe 3,5 milhões de euros em central fotovoltaica flutuante no Alqueva até 2020|url=https://observador.pt/2019/06/03/edp-investe-35-me-em-central-fotovoltaica-flutuante-no-alqueva-ate-2020/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=Observador|language=pt-PT}}{{Cite web|title=Painéis Solares flutuantes|url=https://www.edp.com/pt-pt/inovacao/paineis-solares-flutuantes|access-date=2021-10-10|website=edp.com|language=pt-pt}}

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.

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|caption = History of Portuguese Cumulative PV Capacity
in megawatts; source: EPIA and IEA-PVPS{{cite web|title=Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2014-2018|url=http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/EPIA_Global_Market_Outlook_for_Photovoltaics_2014-2018_-_Medium_Res.pdf|website=epia.org|publisher=EPIA - European Photovoltaic Industry Association|access-date=12 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625154728/http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/EPIA_Global_Market_Outlook_for_Photovoltaics_2014-2018_-_Medium_Res.pdf|archive-date=25 June 2014|page=34|url-status=dead}}collected historical data from article growth of photovoltaics{{cite web |url=https://www.iea-pvps.org/fileadmin/dam/public/report/technical/PVPS_report_-_A_Snapshot_of_Global_PV_-_1992-2014.pdf |title=Snapshot of Global PV 1992-2014 |website=iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=32 |publisher=International Energy Agency — Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme |date=30 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407023056/http://www.iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=92&eID=dam_frontend_push&docID=2430 |archive-date=7 April 2015 |url-status=live}}

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|caption = History of Portuguese Annual PV Installations
in megawatts; source: EPIA and IEA-PVPScollected historical data from article growth of photovoltaics

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{{Portal|Renewable energy|Portugal}}

• Renewable energy in Portugal
• Wind power in Portugal
• Geothermal power in Portugal
• List of renewable energy topics by country
• Renewable energy in the European Union

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