Smart Siting Guide: Portugal - Balancing energy, conservation, and community priorities in developing ground-mounted solar and onshore wind on low conflict sites

Portugal stands at a crossroads. The country’s commitment to generate 93% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 is bold, but the path forward is not simple. Expanding wind and solar energy at this scale means making choices about where and how to build. Choices that will shape landscapes, communities, and ecosystems for generations to come. The Smart Siting Guide: Portugal offers a practical roadmap for decision makers, renewable energy actors and civil society for spatial considerations of a renewable energy future. It brings together the best available science, policy context, and local knowledge to answer a central question: How can Portugal accelerate renewable energy while protecting biodiversity and respecting social values?