Portugal Scales Up PV Target From 9 GW to Over 20 GW By 2030

Keeping up with the trend of countries all over the world expecting, and seeking more from Solar power, Portugal has also enhanced it’s PV targets by over 2X to 20 GW, by 2030. The new targets are driven by a need to accelerate the energy transition, and an extra push from establishing green hydrogen manufacturing in the country, which will utilise a significant chunk of the new capacities planned. The new numbers were communicated in  an update to Portugal’s national energy and climate plan (NECP) by 2030. Other European countries, notably Spain (with a new target of 76 GW) , Netherlands and Italy have also communicated new enhanced targets.

The move comes at a time when European Union countries are looking to not just increase solar use, but also manufacture more parts of the solar supply chain locally, backed by generous EU incentives. Making Europe a key player in the four horse race between China, India, Europe and the US that promises to change the solar supply chain scenario significantly in the next few years.

Portugal has set itself the target of 8.4 GW by 2025, almost as much as its target for 2030 earlier.  While three-quarters of the 20.4GW solar PV capacity target would be coming from utility-scale projects (14.9GW), the remaining 5.5GW is expected to be from self-consumption solar or near-site/off grid solar consumption.

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After a tepid reception to solar power till about 2018, Portugal had made a significant effort with its first big solar tenders in 2019, and grabbed attention with record low prices at the time. With provisions to increase prices in line with inflation, besides merchant power sales after a fixed number of years, bidders vied hard to win the right to build at the time.

Portugal hopes to see the share of renewable energy to national electricity consumption reach 80% in 2026, before reaching 90% by 2030. The plans rely heavily on solar power, with a share of almost 40%, besides wind energy. Offshore wind tenders are being prepared to be floated soon in that regard.

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