In a study, researchers from the University of Evora concluded that the installed capacity of floating solar systems could exceed the 7 GW target set out in the country’s National Energy and Climate Plan for 2030.

In a study on floating photovoltaic systems in Portugal, researchers from the School of Renewable Energy of the University of Évora have concluded that the country is on track to exceed the national target of 7 GW of photovoltaic energy for the electricity sector set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC) 2030.

The researchers concluded that the Alentejo region in south-central Portugal, with its dual resources of water and solar energy, is the most promising area.

In a statement, the University of Évora said that even if the total amount of available water surface is reduced by 85% nationwide, “the potential for floating photovoltaic solar systems is still expected to reach more than 10.8 GW.”

Luís Fialho, a researcher at the School of Renewable Energy at the University of Évora, said, “The results of the above analysis are mainly derived from mapping the potential areas in which floating PV solar systems could be applied nationwide and establishing a relationship between the availability of solar radiation resources and the geographical distribution of water bodies in different parts of the country.”

According to information from the renewable energy sector, the Renewable Energy Institute is currently monitoring Sierra Brava, the largest pilot plant for floating photovoltaic systems in Europe, with a total capacity of 1,125 MW, covering five different technologies and a project owned by Acciona Energía.

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