Portugal to study former mining areas for renewable energy plants
In Portugal, Publico reports the Government decided to move forward with a technical study to assess the potential of former abandoned mining areas for the installation of renewable energy power plants. According to Order No. 4217/2026, published at the end of March, these areas are often a “relevant environmental liability”, presenting landscape impacts and risks that require a “progressive remediation, recovery and valorization”. The initiative aims to take advantage of “already artificialized and intervened” spaces, thus avoiding “additional pressure on agricultural, forestry or ecologically sensitive soils”.
The study, which should be completed within 120 days, will be carried out by the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG), in conjunction with the Mining Development Company (EDM). According to the document, the LNEG may also articulate with other entities to assess the “regulatory conditions, of the terms of the concession itself”.
This analysis will include the identification and characterization of the areas, the “indicative estimate of the capacity of power installable by technology” and the analysis of the conditions of connection to the surrounding utility power grid. On the other hand, the work will allow to identify areas with greater aptitude for self-consumption projects, especially aimed at “electrointensive companies”, or for the creation of renewable energy communities.
Category: Fuels
