The Auchan hypermarket in Faro, formerly known as Jumbo, will set up a photovoltaic system on the roof, allowing them to shave approximately 100,000 euros per year off their electricity bill.
The company "Sotecnisol Power & Water" are the ones who won the bidding process to gain the contract to install the panels on the roof of the hypermarket, located in the Forum Algarve shopping centre in Faro.
The project foresees the construction of a photovoltaic system for self-consumption purposes (UPAC), which will allow the shop to achieve a considerable amount of autonomy when it comes to electricity consumption and production.
Auchan chose the Portuguese company Sotecnisol after they reached an agreement that the project would warrant 525,000 euros of investment, and the adaptation is already underway.
However, before the system is installed, it’s necessary to reinforce and adapt the upper area of the building so that it can safely accommodate 1,650 solar panels deployed in an area of 6,000 square meters.
This system will have the capacity to produce approximately 910,400 kWh, equivalent to the average consumption of about 1860 homes.
The “implementation of this project will allow Auchan to increase its economic competitiveness by significantly reducing electricity costs. The reduction of the ecological footprint of the Faro Auchan operation is another asset of this investment,” explains the multinational retail group responsible for this project.
Once in operation, Auchan's photovoltaic power system will be monitored on a 24-hour basis, through this constant control it will be possible to monitor the energy production, compare production factors and trigger maintenance technicians whenever necessary.
Filipe Bello Morais, chief executive officer of Sotecnisol Power & Water, says that "this project, with an installed power of 569.25 kW, demonstrates the ability of our company to implement large photovoltaic plants."
"We are in a moment of energy transition in this country and Sotecnisol Power & Water wants to be part of this movement of diminishing the human impact on the planet", Morais concluded.
