[Berlin, Germany, 27 August, 2020] Qcells, a renowned total energy solutions provider in solar, energy storage, downstream project business and energy retail, has secured the rights to connect 315 MW of new solar and storage capacity in Portugal’s second solar auction.
The bidding phase of this latest Portuguese auction took place between August 24-25, with Qcells winning half of the 12 available lots. A total of 700 MW capacity was tendered, and for the first time in Portugal companies were invited to lodge bids with a storage component included.
Each of the six solar that Qcells will develop, build and connect to Portugal’s electricity grid will combine solar with a storage system. These projects will all be developed in Portugal’s Alentejo region, with two arrays in Ourique of 109 MW and 99 MW capacity respectively; a 50 MW project in Ferreira do Alentejo; and three 19 MW projects located in Beja, Vale do Gaio, and Porteirinhos.
Grid connection of all six projects is expected to be completed in June 2024, with Qcells developing the projects according to the auction deadlines outlined by the Portuguese government.
Sky-high solar ambitions
Each of Qcells' six successful bids were won with solar+storage scheme based on
Qcells' long experience and deep expertise not only in solar downstream projects but also in energy storage. Qcells secured the grid capacity in return for paying a set yearly price-per-capacity to the Portuguese national grid operator for 15 years. Thanks to the flexibility offered by coupling the solar with storage, Qcells will be able to sell the electricity produced by the solar plant to merchants, undertake energy arbitrage by time shifting and participate in ancillary services markets in order to make the most out of these projects, while contributing to local grid stability. This strategy enabled Qcells to be highly competitive at this auction.
Having secured this additional 315 MW of new solar capacity in Portugal, Qcells now boasts a development pipeline of almost 2 GW in the country. In Portugal’s north, Qcells has already begun construction on a 11.6 MW solar project, and will realize other tranches of its vast solar pipeline over the course of the next few months.
Sang Chull Chung, Head of Downstream Business Unit for Qcells, said: “Qcells is delighted to have secured the rights to develop 315 MW of solar+storage capacity under the latest Portuguese auction.As a company, we have nurtured a great deal of expertise in Portugal’s solar energy landscape, and have built up a pipeline of almost 2 GW.
“We approached this second auction with a confident mindset based on the benefit of being a global, bankable clean energy company with a solar DNA and long-standing expertise and experience in storage as well. Portugal’s bold renewable energy ambitions match our own, and we are excited to get to work on spreading the Qcells footprint throughout Portugal, and indeed Iberia as a whole.”
About Qcells
Qcells is a renowned total energy solutions provider in solar cell and module, energy storage, downstream project business and energy retail. It is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ) with its diverse international manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East, Qcells provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental and residential markets. For more information, visit: www.q-cells.com.
Contact:
Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH
Corporate Communications: Jochen Endle, Ian Clover
Tel: +49 (0)3494 6699 10121
E-mail: presse@q-cells.com
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