Portugal Launches Country’s Second Solar Auction

• DGEG has opened the second solar auction round in Portugal offering 700 MW capacity
• It needs to be established in the form of 12 projects with sizes ranging between 10 MW and 109 MW
• Solar PV projects can be accompanied by storage systems; solar PV+CSP+storage is also an option for interested bidders
• Winning bidders have time till July 31, 2020 to submit bids and winners will be declared in August 2020

The Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) in Portugal has officially started proceedings for the country's second solar power auction inviting bidders for 700 MW to be built in the Alentejo and Algarve regions. The capacity is schedule to come online by June 30, 2024.

The 700 MW has been divided into 12 projects of various capacities ranging between 10 MW to 109 MW. The categories that interested bidders can enter are PV projects without storage systems, and the other category is solar PV with battery energy storage system (BESS), concentrated solar power (CSP), solar PV+CSP and other combinations.

Winners will enter into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with 15-year validity for the projects they secure. A single entity cannot win more than 50% of the total capacity (sum of all lots) put to auction.

Interested bidders can submit their proposals by July 31, 2020 and final bidding will be held on August 24, and August 25, 2020. Bidding documents can be accessed on the government's dedicated renewable energy auction website.

The Portuguese government had to postpone the solar auction to June 8, 2020 shifting it from April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic spread in the country.

Portugal concluded its first solar auction in August 2019 with Akuo Energy winning a 150 MW project for €14.76 per kWh, touted as the lowest winning bid for solar in Europe, out of total 1.15 GW awarded (see Portugal Awarded 1.15 GW Capacity In Solar Auction).