Exclusive: Portugal to hold 50-100MW energy storage auction in 2020

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Galamba:

Portugal is to kickstart its energy storage sector by arranging its first ever dedicated auction next year, Energy-Storage.news can reveal.

João Galamba, secretary of state of energy, told this publication of plans to put forward 50-100MW worth of capacity for dispatchable renewables in 2020, at a date that has yet to be decided.

“We want to keep it fully open, attract the best, most innovative technologies,” said Galamba, who replaced predecessor Jorge Seguro Sanchez in October 2018.

“It could be batteries, it could be anything else, as long as it’s renewable and dispatchable – we will let the market decide what the best solution is,” he added.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

His statement follows recent calls by experts for Portugal to “urgently” move towards storage technologies, to help manage the annual 800–1,200GWh surplus in renewable production expected by 2020; power-to-gas options are seen by researchers as particularly promising.

PV auctions of 1.35GW (2019) and 700MW (early 2020)

The energy storage drive comes as the socialist government of prime minister Costa works to deliver a boom of PV solar, whose contribution last year (1.5% of national power use) was far outstripped by wind (23%).

Two PV-specific auctions this year and next will lay the foundations for Portugal’s roadmap, which requires boosting PV capacity from 572MW in 2018 to 1.6GW by 2021 and 8.1GW-9.9GW by 2030.

Further details on the terms and time frames of the PV auctions, as revealed by the secretary of state, can be found on Energy-Storage.news’ sister site PV Tech.

23 September 2025
Warsaw, Poland
The Energy Storage Summit Central Eastern Europe is set to return in September 2025 for its third edition, focusing on regional markets and the unique opportunities they present. This event will bring together key stakeholders from across the region to explore the latest trends in energy storage, with a focus on the increasing integration of energy storage into regional grids, evolving government policies, and the growing need for energy security.
7 October 2025
Asia
By 2026, the Asia-Pacific region is forecast to contribute 68% of the projected $10.84 billion market. Over the past decade, Asia has fortified its grids with batteries that enable smart grids, renewable integration, responsive electricity markets, and ancillary services. In this rapidly evolving landscape, Energy Storage Summit Asia is your guide to this burgeoning market. Now in its second year, the Summit gathers independent generators, policymakers, banks, funds, offtakers, and cutting-edge technology providers and clarifies what successful energy storage procurement and deployment strategies look like. Topics covered include macro-level policy, supply chain dynamics, financing strategies, co-location considerations, safety measures, microgrid insights and more.
24 February 2026
InterContinental London - The O2, London, UK
This isn’t just another summit – it’s our biggest and most exhilarating Summit yet! Picture this: immersive workshop spaces where ideas come to life, dedicated industry working groups igniting innovation, live podcasts sparking lively discussions, hard-hitting keynotes that will leave you inspired, and an abundance of networking opportunities that will take your connections to new heights!

Read Next

August 29, 2025
Potentia Energy, a joint venture co-owned by Enel Green Power and INPEX, has secured the first environmental approval for a grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) under South Australia’s new Hydrogen and Renewable Energy (HRE) Act.
August 29, 2025
French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen, which is now fully owned by Canadian investment firm Brookfield, has switched on the second phase of its 560MW/2,240MWh Collie BESS in Western Australia.
August 28, 2025
“Australia is one of the leading countries for grid-forming inverters,” said Natalie Thompson, senior analyst of energy storage and solar at Wood Mackenzie, when discussing the Australian energy storage market.
August 28, 2025
Renewables developer and independent power producer (IPP) TagEnergy has acquired Australian developer ACE Power, adding 6GW of energy storage and renewables projects to its portfolio.
August 27, 2025
An EU-backed energy storage capex support scheme in Lithuania will support as much as 4,000MWh of battery storage, the Ministry of Energy has said.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter