Overview
Santa Helena is an operational onshore wind farm in Portugal with a capacity of 4 MW, contributing to the country's renewable energy goals under the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
Santa Helena is an operational onshore wind farm located in Portugal, with a capacity of 4 MW. This facility is part of Portugal's growing renewable energy sector, which aims to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix. The plant uses wind as its primary fuel, converting kinetic energy into electricity for the grid. The facility operates under Portugal's national renewable energy framework, which aligns with the EU Renewable Energy Directive III (2023/2413) targeting 42.5% renewable energy by 2030. Onshore wind farms like Santa Helena benefit from feed-in tariffs and grid connection regimes that support small to medium-scale projects. The 4 MW capacity places it in the small-scale category for wind farms, typical for distributed generation in rural areas. Santa Helena contributes to local energy independence and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by displacing fossil fuel-based electricity. Its location in a region with favorable wind conditions ensures efficient power generation. The facility supports Portugal's transition to a low-carbon economy and helps meet national renewable energy targets.
Environmental context
The Santa Helena wind farm is situated in a region with moderate wind resources, typical for inland areas of Portugal. Onshore wind farms can have visual impacts on the landscape and may affect local bird and bat populations through collision risks. However, proper siting and mitigation measures can minimize these effects. The facility's small scale reduces its overall environmental footprint compared to larger installations.
Frequently asked questions
Santa Helena is an onshore wind farm located in Portugal, with coordinates approximately 41.0054° N, -7.8073° E.
Santa Helena has a capacity of 4 megawatts (MW), making it a small-scale wind farm.
Santa Helena generates electricity from wind power using onshore wind turbines.
Portugal aims to achieve 42.5% renewable energy by 2030 under the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Santa Helena contributes to this goal by adding 4 MW of wind capacity.
Wind farms in Portugal benefit from feed-in tariffs and grid connection policies under the national renewable energy plan, aligned with EU directives.