Portugal

The new provisions include a draw mechanism for the project selection. The results of the first draw will be announced in mid-March.

Overall, the grid improvement is expected to enable at least 800 MW of new solar PV plants to come online in the south of the country.

The 15 year feed-in tariff (FIT) for solar power units with a capacity of up to 250 kW for this year will be maintaned at the same level of that of the past three years.

The projects will be developed without direct public incentives and will sell power to the spot market – an option still considered unviable by the local renewable energy sector – or through private PPAs. Meanwhile, local power provider, Axpo Iberia has agreed to buy electricity from a 28 MW solar facility planned in southern Portugal under a 10-year PPA.

Overall, renewables accounted for more than 40% of the country’s electricity generation last year. Meanwhile, registered installed PV capacity has reached 478 MW.

Acting on the behalf of its investors, the German asset manager has come into possession of four solar PV projects in Portugal, the names of which have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, Germany’s HSH Nordbank has successfully penetrated the Portuguese market with the refinancing of two solar plants.

The leading party of Portugal’s left-wing government coalition, the Socialist Party, said that the extension of the CESE tax to renewables would have hindered the further development of clean energy across the country.

The CESE tax, so far paid only by conventional energy companies, will be extended to existing RE power plants under the special tariff regime.

The solar project Central Fotovoltaica do Corvo will be built by EDA, the Portuguese archipelago’s power utility, and will be used to reduce the island of Corvo’s reliance on fossil fuels.

A 221 MW solar project in Portugal is now under construction. When complete, it is set to be the largest unsubsidized solar PV project in Europe.