Q Cells has secured the rights to connect around 315 MW of new solar and storage capacity in the country in Portugal's second solar auction, the company announced. In the auction on August 24 and 25, 2020, Q CELLS won six of a total of twelve lots. The auction covered a total of 700 MW. For the first time, participants were invited to submit projects that include a storage component in addition to solar power plants.
Q-Cells projects between 19 MW and 109 MW
Each of the six projects that Q Cells will develop, build and connect to the Portuguese power grid combines a solar system with a storage system. The projects will all be developed in the Alentejo region of Portugal: two plants in Ourique with capacities of 109 MW and 99 MW respectively, a 50 MW project in Ferreira do Alentejo and three 19 MW projects in Beja, Vale do Gaio and Porteirinhos.
Q Cells will develop the projects in accordance with the deadlines set by the Portuguese government, so that all six projects are expected to be connected to the grid in June 2024.
More flexibility to provide grid services
The company won all six projects with a combination of solar and storage. Q Cells secured the grid capacity in return for the payment of a fixed annual amount per capacity to the Portuguese national grid operator over a period of 15 years. The flexibility of coupling solar systems with storage facilities will enable the company to sell the electricity generated by the solar system to traders, to benefit from arbitrage transactions through interim storage and to provide grid services. In this way, Q Cells will make optimal use of the projects while contributing to local grid stability, the company announced.
Company pipeline of almost 2 GW in Portugal
With this additional 315 MW of new solar capacity, Q Cells now has a development pipeline of almost 2 GW in Portugal. In the north of the country, Q Cells has already started construction of an 11.6 MW solar project and will realize further tranches of its extensive solar pipeline over the next few months. (hcn)
