Solar energy is the most promising source of clean energy for future generations. Solar energy is used to produce heat or electricity by way of solar panels or collectors. Portugal is one of the countries in Europe with the greatest availability of solar radiation, between 1800 to 3100 hours of sun per year in the mainland.

The goal of the National Energy Strategy is to increase tenfold the solar capacity installed in Portugal, increasing from 150MW in 2010 to 1500MW in 2020.The great technological revolution in solar energy will change the model for centralised electricity supply.

One of the biggest solar plants in the world was inaugurated in Moura in the southern region of Portugal in December 2008.

At present, the rate of installation of solar thermal energy stands at around 150,000 m2 per year, there having been in the last three years strong growth which allowed the installation in this period of the equivalent of all the solar energy implemented in the 1990’s. This fact can largely be put down to the incentives created by the government, as well as the coming into force of the new regulations as regards the System of Energy Certification and Thermal Behaviour of Buildings (RCCTE) which includes the requirement to install solar thermal energy in all the new residential buildings.

SOLAR THERMOELECTRIC

Solar thermoelectric energy is obtained by way of the solar radiation concentrators installed at solar plants with different technological characteristics. When said concentrators reach the temperatures required for the generation of steam or the heating of air, they power the conventional turbogenerators which produce electricity.

In Portugal solar thermoelectric energy has been incentivised by way of preferential tariffs which seek to stimulate their industrialisation process and the increase in technical solutions. As it has greater exposure to the sun, the southern region of the country is the one which has the highest national potential in which every km2 of solar capture is associated with annual production of 250 to 300 GWh.

Solar Photovoltaic Energy converts solar energy directly into electrical current by way of semiconductor materials like silicon. The energy may satisfy local consumption or integrate the electricity network.

At present Photovoltaic Plants constitute the most visible side of the current energy offer in the sector and they include some of the largest installed units in the World such as that inaugurated in December 2008 in Moura in the Alentejo.

This form of energy is also very interesting from the perspective of decentralised production in terms of micro and minigeneration. These systems allow off-grid operation (separate from the electric network) and may be a solution to the electrification of more isolated places, pumping systems, powering of emergency and signposting systems.
The decentralised production may also be integrated in the electrical network by way of systems installed in buildings and urban spaces.

Owing to the great solar exposure of Portugal, the potential for photovoltaic systems is very high, there being the aim to install 1500 MW by 2020.

The largest urban solar photovoltaic plant was opened in November 2009 at the Lisbon Region Supply Market, forming part of a site and on the roofs of the urban buildings of the complex.