Central Parque Solar | Largest solar park in Portugal with 272 MW – Rio Maior Solar Park (204 MW) and Torre Bela Solar Park (68 MW) – Creative image: Xpert.Digital
Record project in Azambuja: Solar power for 110,000 households - Neoen sets standards: State-of-the-art solar technology in Azambuja
New record in the Iberian photovoltaic landscape
In the municipality of Azambuja, about seventy kilometers north of Lisbon, a pioneering energy project has been completed, emphatically underscoring the dynamism of renewable energies on the Iberian Peninsula. Developed by the French company Neoen and built by the Spanish construction group Aldesa, the photovoltaic project marks a significant advancement in Portugal's energy infrastructure, with a total installed capacity of 272 megawatts peak.
This facility consists of two interconnected solar power plants: the Rio Maior Solar Park with a peak capacity of 204 megawatts and the Torre Bela Solar Park with a peak capacity of 68 megawatts, both wholly owned by Neoen. The complex's geographical location was strategically chosen, as the region is among the sunniest in Portugal and offers optimal conditions for photovoltaic energy use.
Technical implementation and network connection
The project was implemented according to the latest standards of solar technology. Aldesa, as general contractor, handled the entire project development, from planning and procurement to turnkey handover. The two plants are connected to the substation of the Portuguese transmission system operator REN in Rio Maior via a 400-kilovolt high-voltage line.
Both power plants began feeding electricity into the national grid at the end of 2024 and have been fully commercially operational since June 2025. Annual electricity production is estimated at more than 500 gigawatt hours, which corresponds to the electricity needs of approximately 110,000 households and avoids around 170,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Marketing structure and economic aspects
The financing and marketing of the solar park follows a well-thought-out model that ensures both planning security and market flexibility. Approximately 80 percent of the electricity generated is marketed via two 15-year power purchase agreements with the Portuguese government, resulting from the 2019 renewable energy tender. The remaining 20 percent of electricity production, along with the certificates of origin, is traded on the open electricity market.
This hybrid marketing model reflects the evolution of renewable energies in Europe, where long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) provide investment security, while market share offers operators flexibility and additional revenue potential. The PPAs are planned for 2025 and will form the economic basis for the long-term operation of the solar park.
Ecological integration and biodiversity protection
A key feature of the Azambuja project is its thoughtful integration into the natural environment. The solar park was built on plots averaging 20 hectares, separated by green corridors. These corridors connect nearly 200 hectares of biodiversity conservation areas, ensuring the ecological permeability of the landscape.
Particular attention was paid to protecting the more than 6,000 cork oak trees on the site, a protected tree species in Portugal. These trees play a crucial role in the Portuguese ecosystem and in carbon sequestration. Cork oaks can bind significant amounts of carbon dioxide during their lifespan of over 200 years. For every ton of cork harvested, 73 tons of carbon dioxide are stored, and a regularly harvested cork oak binds five times more carbon dioxide in its bark than other tree species.
Portugal's cork oak forests, known as Montados, cover approximately 730,000 hectares and represent the world's largest contiguous cork oak area. These forests are home to exceptional biodiversity, including protected species such as the Iberian lynx and the golden eagle. Of the 15,000 to 25,000 different plant species found in the Mediterranean region, more than half are endemic to this area.
To visually integrate the solar power plant into the landscape, a natural screen of trees and shrubs was created to shield the photovoltaic modules from view. The entire project was built within the fenced boundaries of the Herdade da Torre Bela, a diverse estate encompassing various agricultural and livestock farming activities.
The role of neons in the global energy transition
Neoen was founded in 2008 as an independent renewable energy producer and has been wholly owned by the Canadian investment company Brookfield since 2025. The company follows a "develop to own" business model, owning and operating approximately 93 percent of its assets on a long-term basis.
With a total capacity of 8.9 gigawatts in operation or under construction, Neoen has grown into one of the world's leading independent producers of exclusively renewable energy. The company operates in the fields of solar energy, wind energy, and energy storage on four continents. Notable projects include France's most powerful solar park in Cestas with 300 megawatts peak, Finland's largest wind farm in Mutkalampi with 404 megawatts, and two of the world's most powerful battery storage facilities in Australia.
In Portugal, Neoen operates not only the two large solar parks in Azambuja, but also the smaller Coruche (8.8 megawatts peak) and Seixal (2.2 megawatts peak) plants, which are already operational. Additionally, the Foral solar park with 43 megawatts peak is currently under construction. This gives Neoen a total operational or developing capacity of 326 megawatts peak in Portugal.
The successful acquisition by Brookfield for €6.1 billion underscores Neoen's attractiveness as an investment target. Following the completion of the takeover bid, Brookfield controls 97.73 percent of the share capital and plans a full squeeze-out procedure. This transaction reflects the growing interest of institutional investors in stable, long-term returns from renewable energy.
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New: Patent from the USA – Install solar parks up to 30% cheaper and 40% faster and easier – with explanatory videos! - Image: Xpert.Digital
At the heart of this technological advancement is the deliberate departure from conventional clamp fastening, which has been the standard for decades. The new, more time- and cost-effective mounting system addresses this with a fundamentally different, more intelligent concept. Instead of clamping the modules at specific points, they are inserted into a continuous, specially shaped support rail and held securely. This design ensures that all forces occurring—be they static loads from snow or dynamic loads from wind—are evenly distributed across the entire length of the module frame.
More about it here:
Sun, electricity and strategy: Portugal's path to becoming a 100% renewable energy nation
Aldesa: Spanish construction expertise for European infrastructure
The Spanish construction company Aldesa, which took on the development of the Azambuja solar park, has over 50 years of experience in infrastructure development. Based in Madrid, the company operates in 15 countries across three continents and employs more than 2,500 professionals. Since May 2020, Aldesa has been 75 percent owned by CRCC International Investment Group, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation, while the remaining 25 percent remains with the founding Fernández family.
Aldesa operates in various business sectors, including infrastructure, energy, building construction, industrial plants, concessions, and technological solutions. The company has established itself as a specialist in complex infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, airports, and marine and hydraulic engineering structures. Its participation in the Portuguese solar project strengthens Aldesa's strategic position in the renewable energy sector on the Iberian Peninsula.
The collaboration between Neoen and Aldesa demonstrates cross-border cooperation in the development of renewable energies in Europe. While Neoen handles project development, financing, and long-term operation, Aldesa contributes the technical expertise and construction capacity for successful implementation.
Portugal as a pioneer of the European energy transition
The Azambuja project fits seamlessly into Portugal's ambitious climate goals. By 2024, Portugal had already achieved a 71 percent share of renewable energy in its electricity consumption. Hydropower contributed the largest share at 28 percent, followed by wind power at 27 percent and solar power at 10 percent. The solar sector recorded remarkable growth of 37 percent compared to the previous year, reaching its highest contribution to the national electricity supply to date.
Portugal's National Energy and Climate Plan 2030 was unanimously adopted by Parliament in December 2024 and sets even more ambitious targets. Instead of the originally planned 80 percent renewable energy by 2030, this target is now to be achieved by 2026. The government has more than doubled its targets for solar energy and electrolyzers for hydrogen production and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2005.
Portugal completed its coal phase-out in 2021 and plans to phase out gas-fired power generation by 2040 at the latest. The country currently has no nuclear, lignite, or hard coal power plants feeding electricity into the national grid. Its only remaining fossil fuel energy source is flexible gas-fired power plants, which can be converted to green hydrogen power plants in the future.
European photovoltaic development in context
Portugal's solar expansion is part of a continent-wide trend. The European photovoltaic market saw growth in 2024, reaching 65.5 gigawatts of annual new capacity, a four percent increase. Germany continues to lead the European ranking with 16.1 gigawatts of new capacity, followed by Spain with 9.3 gigawatts and Italy with 6.4 gigawatts. Portugal, with 2.0 gigawatts of new capacity, has broken into the top 10 European solar markets for the first time.
The normalization of growth rates after the exceptional increases of previous years reflects the maturation of the European solar market. After three years of near-continuous doubling with growth rates of 41 to 53 percent, market conditions have stabilized. The European solar market was valued at US$63.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to continue growing at an annual rate of 7.1 percent from 2025 to 2034.
This development is driven by falling module prices, improved technologies, and supportive policy frameworks. In many parts of Europe, solar power has already fallen below grid parity, increasing its competitiveness compared to conventional energy sources. Combining solar energy with hydrogen production, where solar-generated electricity is used to produce hydrogen for industrial applications, opens up additional business opportunities.
Technological innovation and sustainability
The Azambuja project represents the state of the art in photovoltaic technology. The modules used meet current efficiency standards and are designed for a service life of at least 25 years. The sophisticated system design optimizes both energy yield and environmental compatibility.
The importance of solar energy for Portugal's energy future is underscored by the planned development of further large-scale projects. In addition to conventional ground-mounted systems, innovative concepts such as floating solar panels are also being developed. Europe's largest floating solar park, with a capacity of four megawatts, has already been commissioned in the Alqueva reservoir in southeastern Portugal. A second, significantly larger project with a capacity of 70 megawatts is scheduled to follow in 2025.
These floating installations offer several advantages: they utilize already sealed water surfaces, reduce water evaporation, and can be more efficient because the cooling effect of the water lowers the module temperature. At the same time, they demonstrate Portugal's innovative approach to developing new land potential for solar energy use.
Economic impact and jobs
The construction and operation of large solar parks like Azambuja generates significant economic growth in the affected regions. During the construction phase, temporary jobs are created in construction, logistics, and project management. Long-term operation requires qualified specialists for maintenance, monitoring, and technical support of the facilities.
Local value creation extends across various service sectors, from security services and landscaping to technical maintenance. At the same time, the municipality of Azambuja benefits from tax revenues and lease payments, which can contribute to financing public infrastructure and services.
Portugal has taken a leading role in Europe through its early investments in renewable energy. The continuous development of the regulatory framework, support from European funding programs, and its attractiveness to international investors create a favorable environment for further projects.
Limitless Energy: Portugal's innovative strategy for renewable resources
Despite impressive successes, Portugal and other European countries face challenges in further expanding solar energy. The need for grid modernization and expansion is growing with the increasing decentralized feed-in of renewable energies. Smart grids, energy storage solutions, and flexible demand management are becoming increasingly important to optimally integrate fluctuating solar power production.
The competition for land between energy production, agriculture, nature conservation, and other uses requires careful planning and innovative solutions. Agri-photovoltaics, where solar panels are installed over agricultural land, and floating solar installations on bodies of water can help to mitigate these conflicts.
Portugal aims to further strengthen its position as a European leader in renewable energy. The country is developing into a key player in the emerging European hydrogen market by utilizing surplus solar power to produce green hydrogen. The flagship project in the port of Sines is expected to reach an electrolysis capacity of 265 megawatts by 2025 and expand to 2.5 gigawatts by 2030.
The successful completion of the Azambuja solar park demonstrates the feasibility of ambitious climate goals through the consistent implementation of renewable energy projects. The project combines technological excellence, environmental responsibility, and economic sustainability, setting new standards for the European energy transition. With its well-conceived approach to environmental protection, its impressive technical achievement, and its integration into the national energy strategy, this solar park will serve as a reference project for future developments in Europe.
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