EDIA - Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infraestruturas do Alqueva (Development and Infrastructure Company of Alqueva), Portugal, launched the tender for the supply, installation and licensing of four Self-consumption Production Units (UPAC). It will be the largest floating photovoltaic project in Europe, with a base price of 45 million euros. 3p5r4g

With an estimated production of 90GWh/year, the energy obtained by all these photovoltaic plants would be enough to supply around two thirds of the entire population of Baixo Alentejo.

The energy will be produced by the photovoltaic s installed on floating structures and directed to the Pumping Stations, which are dedicated to them for self-consumption. With a total installed capacity of 52 MWp, the plants will occupy an area of around 42 hectares on the water, and it is estimated that around 100,000 photovoltaic s will be needed, which will prevent the emission of around 30,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

“The energy transition and the decarbonisation of the economy are priorities for the country and are crucial for the sustainability of the Alqueva project, as this is the main source of variable costs in water distribution,” said the minister of agriculture and food, Maria do Céu Antunes, in a statement.

The Alqueva Multipurpose Development already has nine photovoltaic plants installed and in operation, including two floating ones.