Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - [permaculture] BBC NEWS | Europe | Portugal opens major solar plant

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] BBC NEWS | Europe | Portugal opens major solar plant
  • Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 23:25:38 -0400


<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6505221.stm>
Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 23:58 GMT 00:58 UK
Portugal opens major solar plant
The solar energy plant at Serpa, Portugal
The solar power plant is in one of Europe's sunniest areas
Portugal has inaugurated what it says is the world's most powerful solar
power plant.

The array of electricity-generating solar panels covers about 60 hectares (150 acres) in one of Europe's sunniest areas in southern Portugal.

Officials say the plant should produce enough energy to supply 8,000 homes.

The plant is part of Portugal's efforts to cut its reliance on imported fuel and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that add to global warming.

The plant is also meant to bring development and jobs to the Alentejo region 200km (125 miles) southeast of Lisbon, a poor area traditionally dominated by cork and olive production.

Renewable energy drive

The 11-megawatt plant has 52,000 photovoltaic modules, which will produce 20
gigawatt hours of power each year.

Burning fossil fuels to generate the same amount of energy would result in 30,000 tons of greenhouse gases being emitted over the course of a year.

"This project is successful because Portugal's sunshine is plentiful, the solar power technology is proven [and] government policies are supportive," said Kevin Walsh of Renewable Energy GE, which built the project.

The facility was designed by PowerLight which will also operates and
maintains it.

Portugal is developing wind, solar and wave power projects as part of a plan to invest $10bn (£5bn) in renewable energy over the next five years.

Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said he wants 45% of Portugal's power
consumption to come from renewable energy by 2010.

Fuelling the Future

KEY STORIES

Oil 'bonanza'
Venezuela spreads its wings on the back of high oil prices
Indian demand sparks fears
Chinese energy hunger
Sugar crop fuels Brazil's cars
Fall and rise of Brazil's biofuel
Mining nuclear fuel
Qatar's gas boom
Russia's energy weapon
The curse of Nigeria's oil
Patagonia's winds of change
Japan road-tests hydrogen car
Pioneers look to solar future

BACKGROUND & ANALYSIS

Energy gap: Crisis for humanity?
Nuclear Europe: Country guide
Global energy guide

YOUR VIEWS
How will we fuel the future?




  • [permaculture] BBC NEWS | Europe | Portugal opens major solar plant, Lawrence F. London, Jr., 03/28/2007

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page