BioImpacte+
BioImpacte+, an initiative by APREN – the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association and Biosinsight, aims to identify and enhance the opportunities that the renewable energy sector, particularly photovoltaic solar power plants, offers for biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of territories. Through collaborative sessions with local stakeholders, the project seeks to build practical solutions that integrate biodiversity as a core pillar of energy projects.
The first session of the project took place on June 24, 2025, in Monforte, with the support of renewable energy producer Akuo Renováveis Portugal. The event featured the direct involvement of Monforte’s Municipal Council, which also hosted the session, and included participation from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), bringing together various local actors to discuss and promote biodiversity enhancement in the context of photovoltaic solar plants.
This first session in Monforte marked the beginning of a series of local meetings designed to highlight the environmental, social, and economic benefits of renewable energy projects, fostering social acceptance and the sustainable development of local areas. The case study presented was the Santas Photovoltaic Solar Plant, owned by Akuo, which was inaugurated in September 2024. Located in the municipalities of Monforte and Borba, with grid connection in Estremoz, the plant has an installed capacity of 180 MWp and comprises 330,000 solar panels, generating enough electricity to power the equivalent of 100,000 households annually.
The collaborative session began with an address by Gonçalo Lagem, Mayor of Monforte. This was followed by a presentation of the BioImpacte+ project by Susana Serôdio (Policy and Market Intelligence Coordinator at APREN). Miguel Mascarenhas, CEO of Bioinsight, then spoke about best practices in the development of power generation facilities that lead to net gains for biodiversity.
The event’s agenda then turned its focus to Monforte, featuring contributions from Miguel Luz (Development Director at Akuo Renováveis Portugal) and Sofia Pinto (CEO of Natursitta, responsible for the environmental monitoring of the Santas plant). They explained in detail how the installation of this solar plant not only minimized impacts but also fostered the creation of a richer natural ecosystem than previously existed.
Susana Serôdio moderated a subsequent debate on the topic, joined by Gonçalo Lagem (Mayor of Monforte), Maria do Carmo Figueira (Director of the Environmental Assessment Department at APA), Miguel Mascarenhas (CEO of Bioinsight), Nelson Luís (Deputy CEO of Akuo Renováveis Portugal), and Pedro Amaral Jorge (CEO of APREN).
In his remarks, the Mayor of Monforte highlighted the importance of renewable energy projects for the local community, due to their positive impact on the municipality’s economy and the job opportunities they bring to interior regions, which are deeply affected by depopulation—alongside the biodiversity value that many of these projects encompass.
Pedro Amaral Jorge, Chairman of APREN, also emphasized this point:
"Biodiversity enhancement is already an integral part of renewable energy projects, particularly photovoltaic solar ones, with developers generating positive impacts and creating ecosystems that are richer than what existed before. This project specifically aims to showcase these good practices, bring this reality closer to people, and counter the significant misinformation that has circulated in recent years on this crucial societal issue."
Miguel Mascarenhas, CEO of Bioinsight, added:
"European directives and national legislation are clear: we must all be committed to preserving biodiversity. The real challenge now lies with people and changing behavior. We need to shift mindsets and ensure that, in processes such as environmental licensing, the focus is on projects creating positive impacts for nature. It’s in our hands to turn apparent conflict into ecological regeneration potential."
Nelson Luís, Deputy CEO of Akuo Renováveis Portugal, further stated:
"The Santas Photovoltaic Solar Plant is a concrete example of how these projects can go well beyond clean energy production, by committing to the creation of a richer ecosystem integrated with the local community. Ongoing dialogue with local populations has been key to ensuring that the benefits are felt directly and sustainably—through biodiversity enhancement, job creation, or the implementation of innovative solutions such as agrivoltaic projects, which demonstrate our ability to adapt and our ambition to go beyond legal requirements."
The BioImpacte+ project is now moving on to new municipalities, promoting a close relationship with local communities and co-creation of knowledge. In a second phase, the insights gathered from these collaborative sessions will be systematized and consolidated into a baseline model for the development of photovoltaic solar plants, where biodiversity takes a central role as a foundational pillar of the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the territories.