Iberdrola has started the construction of four solar farms in Portugal totalling 86MW.
Work is underway on the PV plants, which were awarded in the 2019 auction, in the district of Setúbal, south of Lisbon.
Algeruz 2 will have 27.35MW of installed capacity, Conde 13.51MW, Alcochete 232.89MW, while Alcochete 2 will have 12.72MW.
Alcochete1 and 2 will have bifacial technology.
Bifacial technology provides greater efficiency as the PV panels have two light-sensitive surfaces, thus producing electricity from both sides thanks to the use of a transparent sheet instead of opaque materials.
A tracking system allows the modules to move along the sun’s path, maximising efficiency and extending the lifetime of the plant by reducing degradation. In addition, the bifacial solar cells reduce the average cost of electricity by 16%.
During construction works, which are expected to conclude this year, 500 jobs will be created during peak periods.
Once operational, the plants will be able to generate enough clean energy to supply more than 48,000 families, thus avoiding the emission of 56,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere per year.
In Portugal, Iberdrola manages a commercial portfolio of more than 870,000 supply points, operates 92MW of wind power and has just connected the first generation unit of the Tamega hydroelectric power plant to the grid, a pumping turbine with a capacity of 220MW.
The Tamega gigabattery, one of the largest pumped-storage projects in Europe, comprises three reservoirs (Gouvães, Daivões and Alto Támega) and three hydroelectric power plants with a joint capacity of 1158MW, which will gradually come on stream between now and 2024.
The complex will be capable of producing 1766 gigawatt-hours a year of electricity, enough to meet the energy needs of neighbouring municipalities and the cities of Braga and Guimarães.