GameChange Energy continues to expand its presence in Portugal with a new 49 MWp photovoltaic solar project , an addition that raises the total capacity delivered by the company in the country to 400 MW over the past two years.
The company highlighted that Portugal has become one of the markets where it has been steadily expanding its activity, in a context of strong growth in renewable energy generation.
“Portugal generated a record 37 TWh of renewable electricity in 2025. We are proud to support this progress with another solar project in a market where we have been steadily expanding our presence,” GameChange Energy stated on its social media channels.
The new development once again puts the focus on one of the technical challenges that characterizes the Portuguese market: the construction of solar plants on rocky terrain and steep slopes , where foundation engineering and the adaptation of structures can have a direct impact on construction times and costs.
The company emphasizes that, in these types of locations, each foundation becomes a relevant factor for the viability of the projects, which requires adjusting structural solutions and installation methodologies to the actual conditions of the terrain.
That approach had already been tested in previous projects.
One of the main precedents is Douro, with 149 MW , located in Tarouca, Viseu district, and built for Sonnedix by the Portuguese company Zagope.
The plant was developed on granitic terrain with slopes exceeding 15% in some areas, which required combining engineering, logistics and construction under particularly demanding conditions.
The complex has more than 273,000 photovoltaic modules and required a detailed analysis of the geology to define different foundation solutions.
Based on geotechnical studies and pull-out tests, GameChange Energy determined which areas could be executed by conventional pile driving and which required pre-drilling and stabilization with concrete .
The strategy made it possible to limit the most expensive solutions only to the areas where they were needed and reduce their impact on CAPEX.
The company also supplied its MaxSpan fixed structure system, designed in high-strength steel and aimed at increasing the spacing between posts.
The final configuration used fewer than 215 poles per MW , reducing drilling, labor, and installation times.
From Douro to a portfolio close to 400 MW
The Douro project was also the starting point for expanding the collaboration between GameChange Energy and Zagope.
In July it was announced that both companies had consolidated a joint portfolio of 397 MW in Portugal , consisting of five photovoltaic plants.
In addition to Douro, that portfolio includes Acail, of 28 MW; Riodades, of 61 MW; Sendim, of 120 MW; and Felgueiras, of 39 MW .
Collectively, these projects are expected to generate approximately 630 GWh of renewable electricity per year , enough to supply the equivalent consumption of about 125,000 homes and avoid around 94,000 tons of CO₂ annually.