The project is considered to be largest unsubsidized solar plant in Europe, which can generate enough clean electricity to power 150,000 homes for a year.
Southern Portugal has been chosen for the project because the region is said to have one of the highest solar irradiation levels in Europe.
The solar project is expected to include up to 850,000 individual modules and could create about 300 jobs during the construction phase. The project could be completed and connected to the grid by mid-2019.
Earlier this year, WElink had signed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with its partner China Triumph International Engineering (CTIEC).
Increasing competitiveness of solar energy generation has enabled WElink to transition to unsubsidized solar projects along with the company and its partner CTIEC’s ability to reduce cost of delivery across the value chain.
WElink Energy development for iberia head Eduardo Aguilar said: “The construction of Solara4 is the result of many months of great team work to deliver this internationally significant unsubsidised project in Portugal.
"Solara4 is a beacon of WElink Energy’s portfolio and is part of a long-term strategy of development in Iberia. We are excited about both the delivery of this project as well as the additional opportunities Iberia represents.”
The solar power plant that will cover 430 hectares of land in Southern Portugal, is claimed to become one of the twenty largest solar PV plants in the world.
Image: Chaiman Peng of CTIEC and Portugal’s Minister of Economy, Manuel Caldeira Cabral at the signing of the EPC deal earlier this year. Photo: Courtesy of WElink Group.
