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Portugal Installing Europe's Largest Floating Solar Park

The floating solar power plant is built by Portugal's primary utility EDP to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, whose costs have risen since Russia invaded Ukraine.

May 09, 2022. By News Bureau

The floating solar power plant which is built by Portugal's primary utility EDP on Western Europe's largest artificial lake, is part of the country's goal to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, whose costs have risen since Russia invaded Ukraine.

In preparation for Europe's largest floating solar park in July, two tugboats transported a massive array of 12,000 solar panels, the size of four soccer fields, to its mooring on Portugal's Alqueva reservoir.

Portugal has quickened its transition to renewables. That island is blessed by long hours of sunshine and Atlantic winds. Despite the fact that Portugal uses nearly little Russian hydrocarbons, rising fuel prices are putting a strain on its gas-fired power plants.

Miguel Patella, EDP Group Director in charge of the solar project, stated that power generated by the floating park, which has a capacity of 5 megawatts (MW), would cost a third of that generated by a gas-fired plant.

The solar panels on the Alqueva reservoir, which is used to create hydropower, would generate 7.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity per year, with lithium batteries storing 2 GWh.

The solar panels will supply 1,500 families with power or a third of the needs of the nearby towns of Moura and Portel.

"This project is the biggest floating solar park in a hydro dam in Europe, it is a very good benchmark," Patena said.

Floating panels do not take up precious real estate, and those on hydropower reservoirs are particularly cost-effective because they may connect to existing power grid links. On bright days, excess power can be used to pump water up into the lake, where it can be stored for use on overcast days or at night.

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Solar PV

Floating solar power plant