Central Park Solar | Largest solar park in Portugal with 272 MW – Rio Maior Solar Park (204 MW) and Torre Bela Solar Park (68 MW)

New record in the Iberian photovoltaic landscape

In the municipality of Azambuja, about 70 kilometers north of Lisbon, a groundbreaking energy project has been created that emphatically underscores the dynamism of renewable energies on the Iberian Peninsula. Developed by the French company Neoen and implemented by the Spanish construction group Aldesa, the photovoltaic project marks a significant advance in Portuguese energy infrastructure with a total installed capacity of 272 megawatts peak.

This facility consists of two interconnected solar power plants, the 204-megawatt-peak Rio Maior Solar Park and the 68-megawatt-peak Torre Bela Solar Park, both wholly owned by Neoen. The complex's geographical location was strategically chosen, as the region is one of the sunniest in Portugal and offers optimal conditions for photovoltaics.

Technical implementation and network connection

The technical implementation of the project was carried out according to the latest standards in 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.

At the end of 2024, both power plants began feeding electricity into the national electricity grid and have been in full commercial operation since June 2025. Annual electricity production is estimated at more than 500 gigawatt hours, equivalent to the electricity needs of approximately 110,000 households and avoiding approximately 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 generated electricity will be marketed through two 15-year power purchase agreements with the Portuguese government, resulting from the 2019 renewable energy tender. The remaining 20 percent of electricity production, as well as the guarantees of origin, will be traded on the open electricity market.

This hybrid marketing model reflects the evolution of renewable energies in Europe, where long-term power purchase agreements provide investment security, while market share offers operators flexibility and additional revenue potential. The power purchase agreements are planned for 2025 and will form the economic basis for the long-term operation of the solar park.

Ecological integration and biodiversity conservation

A striking 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 and ensure the ecological permeability of the landscape.

Particular attention was paid to protecting the more than 6,000 cork oaks on the site, a protected tree species in Portugal. These trees play a crucial role in the Portuguese ecosystem and in carbon storage. Cork oaks can capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide over their lifespan of over 200 years. Each ton of harvested cork stores 73 tons of carbon dioxide, and a regularly used cork oak captures 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 forest. These forests are home to extraordinary 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, more than half are found exclusively in this region.

To visually integrate the solar array into the landscape, a natural screen of trees and shrubs was created to protect the photovoltaic modules from view. The entire project was built within the fenced boundaries of the Herdade da Torre Bela, a multifaceted estate encompassing various agricultural and livestock activities.

The role of Neoen 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 pursues a "develop to own" business model, in which it owns and operates approximately 93 percent of its assets itself over the long term.

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 solar, wind, and energy storage on four continents. Notable projects include France's most powerful solar farm 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 plants in Australia.

In Portugal, in addition to the two large solar parks in Azambuja, Neoen also operates the smaller Coruche solar park with 8.8 megawatts peak and the Seixal solar park with 2.2 megawatts peak, which are already in operation. In addition, the Foral solar park with 43 megawatts peak is under construction. Neoen thus has a total capacity of 326 megawatts peak in operation or under development in Portugal.

Brookfield's successful acquisition for €6.1 billion underscores Neoen's attractiveness as an investment target. Following completion of the takeover offer, Brookfield will control 97.73 percent of the share capital and plans a full squeeze-out process. This transaction reflects the growing interest of institutional investors in stable, long-term returns from renewable energy.

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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:

• Clicking instead of screwing: This ingenious system builds solar parks 40% faster and revolutionizes the energy transition

Aldesa: Spanish construction expertise for European infrastructure

The Spanish construction company Aldesa, which developed the Azambuja solar park, has more than 50 years of experience in infrastructure development. The Madrid-based company operates in 15 countries on 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 the China Railway Construction Corporation, while the remaining 25 percent remains with the founding Fernández family.

Aldesa operates in various business areas, including infrastructure, energy, building construction, industrial facilities, concessions, and technological solutions. The company has established itself as a specialist in complex infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, airports, and marine and hydraulic structures. The participation in the Portuguese solar project strengthens Aldesa's strategic positioning 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 is responsible for project development, financing, and long-term operation, Aldesa provides 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. In 2024, Portugal 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 a remarkable growth of 37 percent compared to the previous year, reaching its highest contribution to the national electricity supply to date.

Portugal's 2030 National Energy and Climate Plan was adopted unanimously by Parliament in December 2024 and sets even more ambitious targets. Instead of the 80 percent renewable energy originally planned for 2030, this target is 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 already 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-fired power plants feeding electricity into the national grid. The only remaining fossil energy source is flexible gas-fired power plants, which can potentially be converted to green hydrogen power plants.

European photovoltaic development in the context

Portugal's solar expansion is part of a continent-wide trend. The European photovoltaic market grew to 65.5 gigawatts of annual capacity additions in 2024, corresponding to an increase of four percent. Germany continues to lead the European rankings 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, entered the top 10 European solar markets for the first time.

The normalization of growth rates following the exceptional increases of previous years reflects the maturation of the European solar market. After three years of almost continuous doubling with growth rates of 41 to 53 percent, market conditions have stabilized. The European solar market was valued at $63.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to continue growing at an annual growth rate of 7.1 percent from 2025 to 2034.

This development is being driven by falling module prices, improved technologies, and a supportive political framework. 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, in which 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 latest state-of-the-art 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 systems offer several advantages: They utilize already sealed water surfaces, reduce water evaporation, and can be more efficient, as the cooling effect of the water lowers the module temperature. At the same time, they demonstrate Portugal's innovative spirit in developing new areas for solar energy use.

Economic impact and jobs

The construction and operation of large solar parks like Azambuja generates significant economic stimulus in the affected regions. Temporary jobs are created during the construction phase in the areas of construction, logistics, and project management. Long-term operation requires qualified specialists for maintenance, monitoring, and technical support of the plants.

Local value creation extends across various service sectors, from security services to landscape management and technical maintenance. At the same time, the municipality of Azambuja benefits from tax revenues and lease payments, which can contribute to the financing of public infrastructure and services.

Portugal has taken a pioneering role in Europe through its early investments in renewable energy. The continuous development of the regulatory framework, support from European funding programs, and attractiveness to international investors create a favorable environment for further projects.

Limitless Energy: Portugal's Innovative Renewable Resources Strategy

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 energy. Smart grids, energy storage solutions, and flexible consumption management are becoming increasingly important for optimally integrating 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, in which solar modules are installed over agricultural land, and floating solar systems on water bodies can help defuse these conflicts.

Portugal aims to further expand its position as a European leader in renewable energy. The country is becoming a key player in the emerging European hydrogen market by harnessing surplus solar power to produce green hydrogen. The flagship project at the Port of Sines is expected to reach an electrolysis capacity of 265 megawatts by 2025, expanding to 2.5 gigawatts by 2030.

The successful implementation of the Azambuja solar park demonstrates the feasibility of achieving ambitious climate goals through the consistent implementation of renewable energy projects. The project combines technological excellence, ecological responsibility, and economic sustainability, setting new standards for the European energy transition. With its thoughtful approach to environmental protection, impressive technical performance, and integration into the national energy strategy, this solar park will serve as a reference project for future developments in Europe.

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