Environmental organisations have called for the rejection of a proposed wind hybridisation project linked to the Alcoutim Photovoltaic Power Plant in the northeast of the Algarve, arguing that revised plans fail to address serious ecological and social concerns. The Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds stated that the reformulated proposal, currently under public consultation, does not resolve the significant environmental impacts identified during the environmental impact assessment process. According to the organisation, risks to threatened bird species remain high, while cumulative effects on ecosystems and nearcommunities persist. The group said the revised submission maintains the same structural problems highlighted during the initial consultation phase and does not provide adequate safeguards for wildlife or residents in the affected area.
The revised proposal follows an unfavourable assessment from the evaluation committee, which previously classified the project’s impacts as very significant and non minimizable. The project promoter acknowledged in its updated submission that there is limited technical scope to effectively reduce the identified impacts. Environmental groups argue that this admission reinforces the case for rejecting the development entirely. They maintain that projects proposed for unsuitable locations cannot be corrected through mitigation or compensation measures alone. The consultation period for the revised project remains open until early February, with several organisations urging authorities to consider the findings of the assessment process and the long term consequences for the region.
Concerns have also been raised about the project’s proximity to local communities, with planned turbines located less than 800 metres from nearvillages. Environmental groups described the proposed mitigation measures for residents as insufficient, noting that plans focus primarily on information campaigns rather than preventing exposure to noise and visual disturbance. The area is considered critical for several endangered bird species and forms part of an important migratory corridor used large soaring birds. Conservation groups warned that the installation of wind turbines could undermine national conservation efforts, particularly for species with limited breeding populations in Portugal. The project envisions the installation of 25 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 165 megawatts.
