October 31, 2006
Portugal
Portugal
Portugal launched a €1.6 billion (US$2 billion) windfarms project Tuesday, part of the country’s effort to reduce its heavy reliance on imported energy.
Economy and Innovation Minister Manuel Pinho laid the foundation stone of the project which will include seven factories to build wind turbines and the creation of 48 windfarms.
A consortium called Eolicas de Portugal won the public tender to produce 1,200 megawatts of clean energy.
The government plans to open another tender soon inviting bids to produce 600 megawatts.
Portugal has no oil, natural gas or coal. It imports almost all its energy, according to government figures.
The government is channeling €3 billion (US$3.8 billion) of public money into developing renewable energy sources over the next five years.
In June, U.S. energy companies GE Energy and PowerLight Corporation and Portuguese renewable energy company Catavento began building the world’s largest solar power plant in southeast Portugal.
The 11-megawatt plant is due for completion by January.
Last year, a consortium of Portuguese and foreign companies launched a pioneering wave power plant off northern Portugal that is still at an experimental stage.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2006/10/31/portugal-launches-major-windfarms-project/