CTO Assessment - European Commission

ALQUEVA
Multipurpose
Project
Contact: Álvaro Gonçalves • CEEETA - Research Centre for Energy, Transport and
Environment Economics • Rua Dr. António Cândido, nº 10 – 4º andar • 1050-078
Lisboa • Portugal • Tel.: +351 21 3194850 • Fax: +351 21 3140411 • E-mail:
Alvaro.martins@ceeeta.pt • Website: www.ceeeta.pt
The Multipurpose Alqueva Project is located
in Alentejo, a region in the south of
Portugal that occupies an area of approximately
one third of the country mainland.
The region population is around 543 000
inhabitants, equivalent to a population density
of nearly 20 inhabitants per km 2.
Alentejo is mainly a rural region, on which
1,7 million hectares of its area is agricultural
land; the primary sector accounts for
16% of the region total employment and
represents 12% of the region Gross Domestic
Product.
The Alqueva Project has a direct influence
on 19 municipalities located around
Alqueva lagoon and / or benefiting from
the installation of new irrigation areas.
Main aims and motivations
Besides Alqueva and Pedrógão hydropower
plants mentioned above, EDIA strategy on
Renewable Energies has been developed by
the implementation of some actions on wind
energy, biofuels and solar energy. All this
actions are based on the establishment of
important partnership with local authorities,
research institutions and other private
companies on the energy sector.
EDIA strategy is also in compliance with
the national energy policy, approved by the
Portuguese Government and published on
the Ministries Council Resolution n. 63/
Actions
Construction of Alqueva dam and large
hydropower plant
Construction of Pedrógão dam and small
hydropower plant
Wind energy assessment
Feasibility studies related to the
development of a biodiesel chain
Assessment, design and installation of a
small photovoltaic plant
Energy performance and integration of RE
in EDIA’s buildings and in rural villages
2003 of 13th March, and, in particular,
regarding the strategic objectives of energy
supply security and sustainable development,
on which the following measures
were contemplated:
To Support the development of renewable
energies;
To Promote multipurposes hydropower
projects for energy production and water
supply;
To incentive the use of clean energies;
To Manage energy demand, namely by
the promotion of technological innovation
and improvement of energy efficiency.
Main objectives
The RE-Alqueva Partnership general objective
is the promotion of endogenous renewable
energies use, strengthening its
contribution to a sustainable development
of Alentejo region.
The RE-Alqueva Project has set the following
energy objectives to be achieved by
the end of 2006 :
The improvement of hydropower capacity
along the Guadiana River; and, as a
consequence, the reinforcement of the
regional and national electricity grid capacity
and the implementation of the
Electricity Ibero Market through the
connection Alqueva-Balboa;
The assessment of wind energy potential
in the area and, if technical and economically
feasible, the promotion and
Timing
1995-2003
1997-2005
2003-2004
2003-2004
2003-2005
2002-2006
Degree of achieve
93%
25%
10%
5%
1%
1%
installation of a wind turbine / wind farm;
The assessment, the design and the installation
of a small photovoltaic plant;
the main objective is to demonstrate and
disseminate photovoltaic technologies viability
and its potential application in
the region;
The development of a biodiesel chain
production in Alentejo, regarding its
opportunity for the regional agriculture
and agro-industry activities and contribution
for the biofuels Directive objectives
fulfilment;
The improvement of energy performance
and integration of renewable energies in
EDIA’s buildings and in rural villages
around Alqueva and Pedrógão lagoons.
Overall evaluation
The Alqueva hydropower plant is equipped
with two generating sets, with an electricity
capacity of 120 MW each. The estimated
annual average production is 380
GWh, the equivalent to the electricity consumption
of a Portuguese city of 200 thousands
inhabitants.
The Pedrógão small hydropower plant will
be equipped with two generator sets with a
electricity capacity of 4,7 MW each. The
annual average electricity production estimated
is 22 GWh.
The biodiesel studies will evaluate the feasible
dimension of a biodiesel production
unit in Alqueva area, benefiting of the a
proximity location to raw materials suppliers
(agriculture and agro-industry) and
to the refinery plant and harbour in Sines.
The installation of a biodiesel production
unit of 40.000 ton/year capacity has been
considered as a possible assumption.
The photovoltaic plant capacity considered
on the pre-feasibility study was 100 kWp,
since it is, according to Portuguese legal
regulation, a capacity limit for low tension
electricity production. The estimated annual
electric production is 110 MWh.
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