Grid-E Connection
Priority to renewable energy RESP (Public Service Electricity Grid) operators must prioritise electricity from power generation centres that use renewable energy sources, except for hydroelectric plants with an installed capacity of more than 30 MW (art. 17 of DL 76/2019).
Storage and Hybridisation
Stand-alone storage above 1 MW is now regulated, with licenses required for higher-capacity projects. Hybrid renewable plants are permitted under existing connection agreements, promoting flexible energy solutions.
Island-Specific Codes
According to Regional Regulatory Decree n.º 8/2019/M in Madeira and forthcoming Azorean codes, additional technical criteria like reactive power modulation and fault recovery for grid-connected generation are stipulated. Grid connection is allowed for producers who manage to obtain reserve grid capacity either by: i) obtaining a grid capacity reserve title issued by a distribution system operator (DSO).; ii) agreement made between the producer and the distribution operator; and iii) a tender procedure (art. 5-A DL 76/2019). The grid capacity reserve title can be obtained by filling out a form available on DGEG’s website. In the form, amongst other things, producers must choose one of the DSOs available for their undertaking (either Energias de Portugal, EDP, or Redes Energéticas Nacionais, REN), and specify the power and voltage of their electricity production units.
Grid connection requires a capacity title, with options for access via tender, direct distribution system operators (DSO) agreements, or Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG)-issued title reserves. Production licenses are needed for larger plants, with regional codes applicable in Madeira and the Azores. Producers must have obtained a grid capacity reserve title and, for plants with more than 1 MW of installed capacity, a production license and an exploitation license. A contract for the acquisition and sale of the energy produced between producers and the retailer of last resort must also be agreed upon before the plant is connected to the grid (art. 20-B DL 76/2019).
In Madeira, there is a specific grid code designed for the connection of generation facilities (RES included) to the electrical grids of this Region - Decreto Regulamentar Regional n.º 8/2019/M that presents the Regulamento da Rede de Transporte e de Distribuição de Energia Elétrica da Região Autónoma da Madeira.
The main technical requirements in Madeira are much more demanding, even for low generation capacities, and include the following items:
- Ranges of injections of reactive power in steady state mode;
- Local dynamic modulation of active and reactive power as a function of voltage;
- Under and over-voltage fault ride-through;
- Sensitivity to under- and over-frequencies;
- Recovery of active power after faults;
- Dynamic control of active and reactive current during faults.
In the Azores, specific requirements have been defined for the connection of RES generation by the local utility, EDA, and include:
- Ranges of injections of reactive power in steady state mode;
- Under-voltage fault ride-through;
- Sensitivity to overfrequencies.
A specific grid code for the Azores islands grids will be prepared, similarly to what happened for Madeira.
There are no grid-interconnected islands in the archipelagos of Madeira and Azores.
In the islands of Berlengas and Culatra, the general requirements are defined by Portaria n.º 73/2020.