The largest photovoltaic plant in Faro construction will begin this Monday, April 4, on a 24-hectare plot in Medronhal, parish of Santa Bárbara de Nexe. In total, will be installed 24 panels that will power around 7 homes and avoid the emission of over 6 tons of CO2 per year.
The first stone of this work was laid this Thursday, March 31st.
The investment is substantial: 13 million euros will allow the company Génese Natural to build this Photovoltaic Power Station in Santa Bárbara de Nexe.
Rogério da Ponte, representative of Génese Natural, explained to journalists that the process began “in 2016, with the contracting of the land”, which was leased for 30 years.
One of the advantages, he explained, is the fact that this future plant “is close to the EDP de Braciais substation”, the point of connection to the electricity grid.
«It was a very difficult process, but by the end of the year, we expect to have the work completed. We will wait, then, for the connection to the grid to take place in parallel», said Rogério da Ponte.
In total, the plant will have 24 bifacial panels, that is, they produce energy «front and back».
“Even the radiation that goes to the ground will be able to produce electricity”, explained, in turn, Andreas Schuenhoff, director of the Asumin Group, a specialist in photovoltaic projects, adding: “we cannot continue in the Stone Age to continue burning things to obtain energy".
The solar park will be capable of an annual production of 26 gigawatt-hours of electricity, which will supply 6943 homes.
To implement this project, it will be necessary to cut down hundreds of orange trees that currently occupy the vast land. Even so, Rogério da Ponte assured that the project will take into account the environmental impacts.
“When we started the process, 24 hectares were needed. Meanwhile, the panels have been increasing in efficiency, which means that we will need less and have a lot of available land, about 2 hectares. This will give the possibility to adapt the installation in a way that maintains biodiversity”, he said.
One of the goals is that, for example, there are flocks of sheep «doing the weeding», he said.
«We will work to make this plant a national example of harmony between the environment and the installation of photovoltaic panels», he summarized.
To Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of Faro, this new Photovoltaic Power Station – the largest in the county – is a «very interesting» initiative.
“If it was already of strategic importance, today, with the problem of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, it is even more so. We are very pleased that this point has been reached and that the promoters have not given up”, he said.
In the mayor's opinion, this unit "will be very good for the region and for the country" because, in addition to reducing dependence on foreigners, it can be "in accordance with environmental principles".
The mayor of Faro he even defended that it is necessary to «continue with this policy of incentive» to similar projects.
Photos: Cátia Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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