Portuguese energy corporation Galp held a public meeting last week in Alcoutim to explain its plans for new wind energy projects linked to existing solar farms in the region, and to answer questions from local residents.
The session took place on March 19 at the Alcoutim and Pereiro parish union building and was designed to present the project in simple terms, clarify doubts and encourage direct dialogue with the community.
At the centre of the project is the idea of “hybridisation”, which means combining different renewable energy sources. In this case, Galp plans to link wind power with the solar energy already produced at its local plants, along with large battery storage systems.
Galp already operates four solar plants in Alcoutim – in Albercas, São Marcos, Pereiro and Viçoso – with a total capacity of 156 MW – enough to power more than 60,000 homes. The company also highlighted its work in energy storage, including a 5 MW / 20 MWh facility already in operation, and larger storage systems (totalling 60.5 MW / 120.4 MWh) currently under construction, supported by Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
During the meeting, the company said the new wind projects could bring additional benefits to the region, including improvements to rural access roads, support for wildfire prevention, and continued compatibility with local farming and livestock activities.
Residents used the session to raise questions about environmental impact, visual changes to the landscape and construction timelines. The company referred to mitigation measures and environmental monitoring plans, based on detailed environmental studies.
Galp also stressed that it has been working in Alcoutim since 2018 in partnership with local communities, with a “clear commitment to transparency”.
“We believe that the development of sustainable energy solutions should be accomplished together with communities,” the corporation said.
