Project integrates the strategy for promoting a greener environment, starting with early support for renewable energies.
It is another step in the strategy to promote sustainable mobility and a cleaner environment. The Renault Nissan group chose the region of Aveiro (North of Portugal) to install the future lithium-ion batteries factory that will carry the energy of electric cars, a project which represents an investment of over a quarter billion euros and is expected to start operations in 2012.
The decision will be made public on the 7th of December, at a ceremony at the Cultural Center of Belem (CCB) and has the presence of the Prime Minister José Socrates and the president of Renault-Nissan, Carlos Ghosn.
Working as a magnet for other initiatives in this area of business, the future battery factory promises to serve as a launching platform of the Renault-Nissan for the rest of the world.
Portugal, along with the United Kingdom was one of the two countries selected by the French-Japanese group to proceed with a project of this nature, at a time it increases its compromise of building this type of motor vehicles.
The choice of Aveiro, to the detriment of the city of Sines (South of Portugal), is justified by the proximity of another plant of the group Renualt-Nissan and with connectivity to the road and rail networks.
The "Companhia Aveirense Componentes para a Industria Automóvel"(CACIA), with nearly three decades of existence, works exclusively to Renault-Nissan and is currently the second largest plant in the automobile sector in Portugal.
Bet on green energy
This project will thus join the package of initiatives that have been rolled out in recent years to reduce energy dependency of Portugal of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas and that have strong impact on trade balance.
"Portugal through the investment made in renewable and a commitment to partnership with Renault-Nissan, has now won the right to be among the countries that are technology leaders in mobility with respect to the electric car." The words are from the Prime Minister, José Sócrates, and were made during the signing ceremony of the memorandum for the construction of the plant held on 20 July, that was attended by vice-president of Nissan Europe, Eric Nicolas.
This development is the result of the strategy that has been carried out in recent years and that catapulted Portugal for the top places to promote the renewable energy sector and now looks forward to defining the new strategic guidelines.
Despite the constraints from the recent economic melt-down, Portugal is expected to end 2009 with about 42% of electricity from renewable sources, above the 39% target imposed by Brussels.
And it promises not stop there. In 2012, we are aiming for 44%. But "we can reach 45% by 2015, depending on the result of the energy efficiency policies that are being implemented, supports the president APREN - Renewable Energy Association, António Sá da Costa.
The Portuguese government is considering for the next few years, the installation of 3,000 MW of additional wind power, of which 2,500 MW will be built offshore on the sea. A package which is completed by an additional 250 MW of small hydro and 1,350 MW of solar, in addition to the existing 150 MW of existing photovoltaic capacity.
