EDP has inaugurated a 5MW floating solar farm located on a reservoir in the region of Alqueva in Portugal.
The project comprises almost 12,000 panels and will supply 7.5 gigawatt-hours a year for more than 30% of the population in the region in the south of the country.
It covers almost four hectares or about 0.016% of the total area of the Alqueva reservoir and is combined with hydroelectric output from the Alqueva dam.
Construction took seven months and the project represents a total investment of €6m.
In addition, the installation of a battery system is also planned, with a nominal power of 1MW and a storage capacity of around 2 megawatt-hours.
EDP chief executive Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade said: “Floating solar technology, in which EDP is a global pioneer, is a remarkable leap forward in the expansion of renewables and in accelerating the decarbonization process.
“And our hybridisation strategy, by combining water, sun, wind and storage, is clearly a logical path for growth in energy production in which EDP will continue to invest.
“Alqueva is today an example of innovation and sustainability that we will soon reinforce with the new project won in the first floating solar auction in Portugal.”