Featuring 358 double-sided solar panels, the innovative solar plant in Vilamoura captures solar radiation from above and heat from below
Portugal’s Minister of Environment and Energy will travel to Loulé on Friday (January 17) to inaugurate a cutting-edge photovoltaic plant in the tourist resort of Vilamoura.
Maria da Graça Carvalho’s visit will begin with a welcome session at 10am at Loulé’s town hall, where local climate action policies will be showcased, the municipal council of Loulé says in a statement to the press. Special attention will be given to municipal conservation efforts, such as the Foz do Almargem and Trafal Local Nature Reserve.
At 11am, the minister will visit Loulé’s municipal market to learn about its energy and sustainability initiatives, followed by a stop at the Geoparque Algarvensis store, a collaborative project between Loulé, Silves, and Albufeira aimed at preserving and showcasing the unique features of the Algarve’s interior.
In Quarteira at midday, the delegation will visit the Arcaya residential development, a new condominium by Bondstone which “stands out for its strong sustainability component, in harmony with nature, and its high standards of energy efficiency”.
The highlight of the program will take place at 3pm, when the minister will preside over the inauguration of the solar plant at the Praia da Marina (Marina Beach) Pumping Station in Vilamoura. Featuring 358 double-sided solar panels, the innovative system captures solar radiation from above and heat from below, doubling energy production efficiency compared to the existing panels at the headquarters of municipal company Inframoura. With an annual capacity of 200 kW, the plant will power the wastewater pumping station, significantly reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
According to the municipal council, this new infrastructure is “another measure aligned with the company’s goal to reduce its carbon footprint.”
