French renewable energy company Neoen has officially inaugurated Portugal’s largest solar park in Azambuja, 70km north of Lisbon.
It will generate more than 500 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green energy each year, enough to power 110,000 homes.
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It is made up of the 204 megawatts peak (MWp) Rio Maior solar farm and the 68MWp Torre Bela solar farm, and is strategically connected to the REN (Redes Energéticas Nacionais, the Portuguese national electricity system) substation through a 400kV overhead line.
It began supplying electricity to the grid at the end of 2024 and is now fully operational.
The Portuguese state will purchase 80% of the energy produced under two 15-year power purchase agreements from the 2019 renewable capacity auction.
The remaining energy and certificates of origin are to be sold on the electricity market.
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By GlobalDataThe solar assets are developed in 20-hectare (ha) plots within the leased area in the Herdade da Torre Bela estate. The plots are separated by green corridors, and this improves connections between protected biodiversity areas spanning almost 200ha.
6,000 cork oaks have been preserved, and a natural screen conceals the solar panels, ensuring harmony with the landscape.
Neoen Portugal business development head Matilde Azevedo stated: “We are particularly thankful to the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, the Direção-Geral de Energia e Geologia (DGEG), the Agencia Portuguesa do Ambiente, REN, the municipality of Azambuja and the local communities for their support in bringing the solar farms of Rio Maior and Torre Bela to fruition.
“Over the past few years, we have developed a significant pipeline of new projects in Portugal – not only in solar, but also in wind and battery storage – and we have strong ambitions to actively support the country’s bold renewable energy goals.”
Neoen’s portfolio in Portugal has now reached 326MWp of capacity in operation or under construction. This includes the operational 8.8MWp Coruche and 2.2MWp Seixal solar farms and the 43MWp Foral solar farm, currently under construction.
Neoen is developing a diverse pipeline of more than 600MW of projects in Portugal, incorporating solar, wind and storage technologies. This includes plans for a wind farm and a significant battery storage project at Rio Maior, a strategic network location.
Neoen group CEO Xavier Barbaro stated: “We are determined to deepen our engagement and to turn Rio Maior into a true green power hub. We are eager to share our expertise in battery storage to strengthen the resilience of the Portuguese grid, just as we have successfully done in other countries. More than ever, Neoen strives to deliver innovative solutions to meet today’s challenges – in Portugal and around the world.”
