Areas that evidence the occurrence of submarine landslides, located between the Middle Atlantic Rift zone (Azores archipelago) and the Continental margin.
The Critical Raw Materials Deposits Map in Mainland Portugal is a compilation of the known mineral occurrences and deposits of the most critical raw materials according to the latest list published by the European Commission in 2023.
The Biomethane Atlas serves to support the identification of the most favorable locations for the implementation of biomethane production units, considering proximity to biogas sources (potential producers), potential consumers, and/or the gas network. It is developed using GIS software for mainland Portugal. The analysis is performed to identify clusters of producers/consumers in proximity, considering the division of the country into a 20km² grid (278 grid squares in mainland Portugal). For each of these, the current potential quantity of biomethane production in m³/year was estimated for the following types of potential producers: (1) Waste and Wastewater: municipal waste landfills, industrial waste landfills, and wastewater treatment plants; (2) Agro-industry: Other food products; Milk; Breweries; Slaughterhouses; Tomatoes; Juices/Salads; Rice husks and Dried fruits; (3) Olive mills and wineries: Olive pomace; Olive mills; Wineries and distilleries; (4) Intensive Livestock Farming: Poultry; Ruminants and Pigs; (5) Agricultural Byproducts: Tomatoes; Corn; Rice paddies; Olive grove pruning; Orchard pruning and Vine pruning. The following potential consumers were considered: (1) Refineries and CCGT Combustion Plants; (2) Industry: Glass; Chemical; Cement; Ceramics; Paper/Cardboard; Agri-food and Textile; (3) Vehicle gas refuelling stations; (4) Autonomous Gas Units; and (5) Injection points in the natural gas grid. A dimensionless index was developed that characterizes each grid square according to its suitability and ranges from 0 to 100 (100 is higher/better). The index can be viewed only for producers, for consumers, and for the combination of producers and consumers. A cell with many potential producers of high volumes of biomethane and potential consumers will have a higher value in the index. The location of production projects and areas with limitations for the application of digestates in soils are also shown. The Atlas does not replace case-by-case analysis of project location or licensing. It should be used for informational purposes only. The scale of analysis used is limited by the resolution and accuracy of the underlying information.
This work was carried out by the GTAER - Working Group for the Definition of Renewable Energy Acceleration Areas, created by Order no. 11912/2023 of 23 November, and is intended to consolidate and strengthen the previous work carried out to identify the areas with the least sensitivity for the location of renewable electricity production units (solar photovoltaic and wind). The work presented here assessed the potential for implementing these units in natural areas or territories. The process of identifying PRAAs, took into account 5 different scenarios, depending on whether or not the following constraints were excluded: (i) areas relating to aquifers classified as porous or essentially porous, belonging to the western edge and the Tejo-Sado basin; (ii) areas relating to the distance between residential and mixed-use built-up areas and (iii) available RAN (National Agricultural Reserve) and REN (National Ecological Reserve) areas. The areas presented contribute to the definition of future preferential RAAs areas - they do not constitute the formal definition of the RAAs. In future RAAs, the licensing process will be simplified. It should be noted that these areas are not exclusive, and renewable energy units can be implemented in the rest of the territory in accordance with the normal licensing process. The results presented reflect the situation as of February/March 2024.
This product was developed by LNEG with a view to the future identification of “Renewable Acceleration Areas” for the deployment of renewable electricity production plants in Mainland Portugal. The work took place within the scope of an informal Working Group, coordinated by LNEG and involving: the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), the General Directorate of Energy and Geology (DGEG), the General Directorate of Territory (DGT), the Institute of Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) and the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage (DGPC). The map identifies the areas in m2 of mainland Portugal with the least sensitivity (environmental, cultural heritage and other) which as such may be considered in the definition of future renewable "Acceleration Areas" within the framework of the revised RED Directive (Renewable Energy Directive. As these areas are not covered by exclusion conditions regarding the preservation of environmental and heritage values (among other), a simplified permitting process for renewable power production plants (solar photovoltaic and wind) could be established, thus allowing to accelerate its implementation without compromising other environmental and territorial values. The mapped areas are preferred areas from the point of view of simplifying the permitting process, but they are not exclusive. In other words, renewable power plants can be implemented in other locations following the normal permitting process. It should be noted that the presented results reflect the situation as of June 2023, and much of the information used is dynamic in nature, meaning this product must be periodically updated. This document is complemented with several electronic Geographic Information System (GIS) files containing the supporting data produced/compiled and collected. Last but not least, this first mapping focuses exclusively on non-artificialized areas. Although the implementation of renewables in a distributed manner in a built/artificialized environment is essential for the country, the analysis of this scope is carried out in another work.