According to regional secretary for tourism, mobility and infrastructure Berta Cabral, who also oversees the energy sector, the region has made “a good journey and a good path in the energy transition.”

“An investment of about 131.9 million euros is planned in renewable energy by 2027,” using funds from the Recovery and Resilience Program (PRR) and operational programs, Berta Cabral told the Azores Parliament in Horta.

The government official specified that the investments include the islands of Santa Maria (4.8 million euros), São Miguel (63.6 ME), Terceira (22.7 ME), Sao Jorge (8.4 ME), Pico (11 .3 ME), Fayal (5.8 ME). ), Flores (11 IU) and Corvo (4.3 IU).

On the island of Graciosa there is already the Graciolica project, a hybrid energy system combining a wind farm, a photovoltaic system and a battery system.

In her speech, Berta Cabral noted that the projects planned for the eight islands concern photovoltaic and wind energy and are being implemented through the electricity company EDA Renováveis.

During the parliamentary debate, there was criticism from some benches about delays in applications for the Solenerge program, which provides financial incentives for the acquisition of solar photovoltaic systems to be installed in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, as part of the RDP.

Rep. Nuno Barata (Illinois) was the first to weigh in on the topic, saying the program’s problem was “its poor execution.”

According to the deputy, Solenerge has a delay in payments, which is unacceptable, noting that at the end of September the execution rate was 6.4%.

He also stressed that the program to install bidirectional meters was delayed and warned: “This is being done deliberately by a state-owned company that has a monopoly on the production and distribution of electricity in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.”

In his opinion, the solution would be to divide the EDA (Eletricidade dos Açores) into two parts: “distribution on the one hand and production on the other.”

The regional secretary for tourism, mobility and infrastructure says Solenerge is an “outstanding program” but warns that its financial ceiling has been reached.

“At the moment we already have an approved capacity of 7.7 (12.6 MW, which is the maximum), an approved investment volume of 9.7 (19 IU) (…) and we have issues that already exceed 19 IU . “, he said.

Approved applications have not yet been paid, since each equipment is paid only after installation: “(The amount of) two million (euros) has been paid (…). 9.7 approved. When justification appears, (the equipment) will be paid for.”

“We are already at the limit of requests, but since we know that many are rejected and not approved in full, we have not stopped receiving requests yet, but have already warned that they are being received and analyzed depending on the order of arrival,” he said , assuring that the Solenerge program was “a success.”

At the end of the debate, the government official returned to the topic, pointing out that so far “61% of installed capacity and 51% of planned investments have been approved.”

“It is therefore clear that the milestones and goals have been achieved. The Government has approved 61% of capacity and 51% of investments. Because the installation is carried out by the promoter, and not at the initiative of the Government,” he concluded.