SOLENERGE meets 11.2 MW target ahead of schedule and with less investment than planned - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Turismo, Mobilidade e Infraestruturas

The SOLENERGE programme, a financial incentive for the purchase of solar photovoltaic systems to be installed in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, has successfully reached the 11.2 MW target for solar panels installed before the deadline set by the European Commission and with a lower investment than initially planned.

From the 19 million Euros granted through the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), only 15 million were required to ensure the commitment set for December 2025, reflecting the efficient management of EU funds.

As such, the Regional Government has successfully ensured that the target is met and, with the approximately four million Euros already secured, it will exceed the commitment made to the European Commission.

SOLENERGE has been running since September 2022, under Investment C14-i03-RAA- Energy Transition in the Azores under the RRP, with overall funding of 19 million Euros. The project is due to end in December 2025.

However, it was necessary to suspend the submission of new investment applications at the end of 2024 as the requests submitted far exceeded the 19 million Euros allocated to this incentive measure. A request was made to the European Commission for more funds to continue supporting the investment applications already submitted. A response to this request is currently pending.

The large turnout for SOLENERGE shows it effectively reduced energy bills for Azorean households and businesses while promoting the energy transition in the Azores.