The late 7th of October, 2014 was inaugurated by His Excellency the Energy Secretary of State Mr. Artur Trindade, The Concentration Photovoltaic Power Station (PVC) at Martim Longo, Municipality of Alcoutim, with 1 MW capacity of injection in EDP grid. Were also present the Mayor of Alcoutim and the General Director for Energy and Geology, as well as representatives of the Promotor SUNCOUTIM and of the companies directed related to the construction of the facilities, E.I.P. and SOITEC.
This projects aims the development and the demonstration of a technology of photovoltaic conversion using multiple composed high efficiency photovoltaic cells integrating the development of renewable energy sources policy (RES) and the National Energy Strategy 2020 (NES 2020). The project was made possible by the combination of an investors group including Enovos Luxembourg (Energy main supplier in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), the Gulbenkian Foundation, Luz-On, E.I.P. – Electricidade Industrial Portuguesa, S.A. and SOITEC (PVC technology international leader).
The photovoltaic power station has 82 sun trackers operating through two axis (azimuth and zenith) with SOITEC CX-420 photovoltaic modules, which due to their efficiency, require less 35% of collecting surface for the same installed capacity when compared with a conventional system. E.I.P. was responsible for all detail engineering, licence projects, civil works, supply of materials and equipments (exception made to the trackers and modules), erection, commissioning and connection to the EDP grid at 15 kV.
