Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Solar Country Notes

Portugal
Utilisation of Portugal's solar energy resource has, up to the present, been relatively low. The Government has now set goals for the development of renewable energy, including a target of 150 MWp for installed capacity of PV by 2010. Penetration of the market will be facilitated by a favourable feed-in tariff, as well as financial and fiscal incentives. At end-2005, the installed PV capacity was only about 3 000 kWp (of which 73 kWp was grid-connected).

Portugal's first building-integrated PV system (12 kWp) was developed by the National Institute for Engineering and Industry Technology (INETI), and installed on the south façade of the Renewable Energy Department's Solar Building XXI. Another PV project completed in 2005 was a 25 kWp system installed by the German Energy Agency (DENA) at the Lisbon German School.

Located in Alentejo, 200 km southeast of Lisbon, the 11 MW, 52 000 PV module, Serpa power plant was inaugurated at the end of March 2007. The world's largest centralised PV power plant, with an eventual capacity of 62 MWp, is planned for construction in the same area. At end-October 2006, the first phase of the project (42 MWp: 32 MWp fixed panels + 10 MWp solar trackers) was stated to have a scheduled completion date of September 2008, with the second phase (20 MWp) planned for construction during 2008-2010. Together the two plants account for 49% of the Government's maximum quota for PV power in 2010.

The total glazed area of solar thermal collectors in operation in 2005 was
161 000 m², giving an output capacity of about 113 MWt.