Geographical Background

Territorial Framework

The implementation of the operations in the ALFR-Alentejo project requires natural conditions such as those found in the Alentejo region. Solar concentrators require direct solar irradiation (DNI) that is not abundant in the countries of Central and Northern Europe, where there has been an intense development of more conventional technologies and that do not require concentration of solar irradiation. In this way, the industry of these countries seeks to establish partnerships and collaborations with countries in southern Europe when it seeks to develop solar concentration technologies, because they have the ideal conditions to carry out demonstration, testing and certification projects of these technologies.

In Portugal, Évora has ideal conditions for the development of these technologies. Located in Alentejo, an exceptional region for solar energy practices, with extensive flat areas, high solar radiation, low cloudiness and content of water vapor and aerosols in the atmosphere (high atmospheric transparency for solar radiation). It also has an academic institution, such as the University of Évora (UÉ), which can offer a set of relevant skills and experience.

The UÉ, through the ICT (Institute of Earth Sciences), has extensive experience, of about 20 years, in the observation of the atmosphere, largely dedicated also to observations of solar radiation and atmospheric modeling, through the use of models of radiative transfer and atmospheric models of mesoscale. The university can offer a set of relevant skills and experience, namely in research units such as CER-UÉ and INIESC, in addition to educational programs such as the PhD in Mechatronics Engineering and Energy, as well as with the Master's degree in Solar Energy Engineering and the Degree in Renewable Energy Engineering. CER-UÉ and INIESC have a set of unique platforms in the country for the testing of solar concentrators, such as the Évora Molten Salt Platform (EMSP) and the Solar Concentrator Testing Platform (PECS).

The ALFR-Alentejo project aims to bring together these climatic characteristics and skills, from the expectation of a niche of activity and market in Alentejo, with potential for energy export to the Center and North of Europe and North Africa, with possibilities of generating direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region, being able to affirm the Alentejo as a living lab of reference for the sector. After some uncertainty regarding the possibility of Iberian energy exports to the rest of Europe, there are currently agreements for the establishment of routes and means of export. This information will make the region even more attractive for investments in solar technologies, especially solar radiation concentrators.