Sonnedix has inaugurated its largest European solar project to date – the 150MW Douro facility in Tarouca, northern Portugal – as it looks to double its operating capacity in the country by the end of 2025.
The project marks a major milestone in the company’s Iberian expansion and features a 10-year power purchase agreement with digital infrastructure company Equinix.
Sonnedix is working with local authorities to explore hybridisation of the plant with battery storage and wind via its Valdigem substation connection.
Executive chairman Carlos Guinand said the Douro project demonstrated the company’s ability to “deliver quickly and at scale”.
“This is our biggest plant built in Europe, within a high-growth market for Sonnedix, cementing Portugal as a key part of our European growth strategy,” he said.
“Our partnership with Equinix signals continued appetite for renewable energy, particularly in powering the new digital economy and data centres.”
The inauguration follows Sonnedix’s rapid growth in Portugal, where it has developed more than 400MW of capacity. With a further 200MW now under construction, the company is leveraging 1.7GW of total Iberian capacity to support its growth plans.
Beatriz Llorente Blanco, head of growth for Iberia, said: “It’s the result of strong collaboration with local partners and authorities, and reflects our long-term commitment to developing, owning, and operating world-class renewable energy projects.”
Equinix managing director in Portugal Carlos Paulino said: “Project Douro represents a landmark achievement, not just for Equinix but for Portugal’s renewable energy sector as a whole.”
He said the plant would support Equinix’s decarbonisation efforts while meeting demand for sustainable digital infrastructure.
The official opening was held in Vila Chã da Beira and attended by Sonnedix management and local dignitaries including Tarouca municipality president Valdemar Pereira and REN’s Paula Pinto.