The Amareleja Photovoltaic Power Plant started operating in 2008 and is owned by ACCIONA. The plant is located in the Alentejo region, in the south of Portugal, an area known for its extensive plains and solar exposure. With a total area size of 250 hectares, and 262080 photovoltaic modules, it creates roughly enough energy to supply 30 thousand houses.
The Amareleja Photovoltaic Power Station was created in 2008 by local initiative of the company Amper Solar in collaboration with the Moura Municipality, with posterior funding by ACCIONA, a multinational company. The Power Station is located in the Alentejo region, in the south of Portugal, an area known for its plain and solar exposure. With a total area size of 250 hectares, and 262080 photovoltaic modules, it creates roughly enough energy to supply 30 thousand houses.
Being one of the first big investments in solar power in Portugal, it was met with some concerns in the beginning, and locally, there were contesting voices, concerned with the location. This Solar Central was built in a land that was once an aerodrome with symbolic meaning to the local population.
However, after the 13 months it took to finish its construction, the resistance faded, also due to the contributions of the Solar Central to local development and job creation, although it fell below expectations. Either way it was created a program of microgeneration installation support; the creation of an assembly factory of solar panels, a company and a technopole for development in the field of solar energy, by the Moura Municipality. On the other hand, the Solar Central contributed to the promotion of the area for tourism, emphasizing its solar exposure also as cultural heritage.
