Ciel & Terre units to power EDP’s 4MW floating plant in Portugal

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
EDP's proposals would see 10,000 panels built over Ciel&Terre platforms at the Alqueva reservoir (Credit: Flickr / Honza Soukup)

EDP could develop one of Portugal’s first utility-scale floating PV farms if its blueprints receive the planning all-clear.

Authorities of the Alentejo region will consult until 28 June on the energy giant’s proposals for a 4MW floating installation by the Alqueva dam, one of Europe’s largest.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

If accepted, the scheme would roll out some 10,000 panels across five clusters, set at a 13.5-metre distance from each other. EDP's preference would be for 385W half-cell PERC modules.

The complex would float on a HDPE [high-density polyethylene] structure, featuring an off-shore 30kV inverter unit linked to the shore via additional cabling.

The HYDRELIO platform, to be provided by floating specialist Ciel & Terre, would be moored to the reservoir floor through 7,500-kilogram weights placed across 12 separate points.

Construction due to launch in early 2020

According to EDP, construction would begin in early 2020 and take three months. Once completed, the installation would float at a four-hectare site at the southern tip of the Alqueva reservoir.

The floating PV scheme is the latest in Portugal, a country said to host last year a 7.2GW hydropower sector. At 220kW, EDP’s earlier project in the Alto Rabagão reservoir was far smaller.

Beyond the country, attention is building around the potential of the 1GW-plus global floating solar industry. Within the past month alone, projects have made strides in at least Malawi, California and the Seychelles.

From solar boats to waterlily-like membranes, reservoir covers and co-location with hydro, the approaches followed by firms are growing more diverse; questions remain over the financial viability, however.

As for EDP, the floating PV push comes as the Portuguese giant works to deploy a 2GW solar pipeline worldwide by 2022. Renewable plays will be partly funded via sales of thermal power plants, among other assets.

See here for more information on the floating PV scheme proposed by EDP

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

September 4, 2025
Fraunhofer ISE has completed testing work of grid-forming inverters currently available in the energy industry.
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.
September 3, 2025
Developers Alight Neoen have commissioned the 100MWp Hultsfred Solar Farm in Småland, southern Sweden.
September 3, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturer Trinasolar has signed a patent licence agreement with French module manufacturing startup Holosolis to use its TOPCon solar cell technology.
September 2, 2025
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) will build a pilot solar cell line in Germany to support US manufacturer Talon PV’s efforts to establish solar cell capacity in the US.
September 2, 2025
SMA Solar has forecast financial losses and further restructuring measures in 2025, as it responds to falling sales and a “challenging” market for residential and commercial renewable energy installations.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines