- Portugal plans to build 52 MW floating solar power capacity on the Alqueva reservoir
- Equipped with around 100,000 solar panels, it will be the largest floating PV facility in Europe, according to the Agriculture Ministry
- A tender process for the supply, installation and licensing has been launched for the same
The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture and Food has announced a project with 52 MW solar power capacity that it says will be the largest floating PV project in all of Europe. It will be installed on the Alqueva reservoir in Alentejo province.
It will be realized for a base tender price of €45 million, and is estimated to generate 90 GWh/year with around 100,000 panels installed. This clean energy will be enough to supply 2/3rd of Baixo Alentejo’s population.
On December 10, 2023, the ministry announced that it has launched the contractual procedure for the supply, installation and licensing of the project through Alqueva Development and Infrastructure Company (EDIA).
It will lead to the construction of 4 Production Units for Self-Consumption (UPAC) of pumping stations of the Primary Network of the Multi-Purpose Enterprise of Alqueva, SA (EFMA). The latter is centered around the Alqueva dam that already hosts 9 PV projects out of which 2 are floating solar facilities. Agriculture Minister, Maria do Céu Antunes-headed ministry says tenders are underway for the installation of 9 plants, 5 of which are floating PV projects.
“The energy transition and the decarbonization of the economy are priorities for the country and are considered determining factors for the sustainability of the Alqueva project, since we are facing the main source of variable costs in the distribution of water,” said Antunes.
The Alto Rabagão reservoir in Alqueva hosts a 5 MW floating solar power plant of EDP with a 1 MW battery energy storage system which the latter commissioned as the largest floating solar plant in Europe in July 2022 (see Portugal’s 5 MW Floating Solar Plant Online).
In September of this year, Q ENERGY said it will build Europe’s largest floating solar power plant with 74.3 MW capacity in France (see Europe’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant).
