A new 5 MWe geothermal binary power plant will be installed in Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Azores, as part of a project led by EDA Renováveis (EDAR), the renewable energy arm of Azorean utility company EDA. A €24.5 million contract for the plant’s revamp has been awarded to Italian clean energy technology provider Exergy International, which will serve as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor.
The project involves replacing two of the existing Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) units—each 2.5 MWe and in operation since 1994—with a new, single ORC system of 5 MWe. The geothermal resource at the site, with temperatures around 150°C, will be used to produce electricity via a binary cycle using Exergy's radial outflow turbine. The design aims to improve energy efficiency while minimizing fluid loss. The plant will use an air-cooled condenser to reduce water consumption, and both steam and brine will be reinjected into the reservoir after energy extraction.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, with provisional commissioning planned for mid-year. The initiative supports EDAR’s broader strategy to increase the share of renewable energy in São Miguel’s electricity mix, which is projected to reach around 60% by 2026.
This marks the second collaboration between EDAR and Exergy International. The two companies previously worked together on the Pico Alto geothermal plant on Terceira Island, a 4 MWe facility commissioned in 2017.
EDA Renováveis Managing Director António Félix Rodrigues noted that in 2024, nearly 89% of electricity from renewable or locally sourced resources in the Azores was provided by EDAR. He emphasized the complexity of the Ribeira Grande upgrade, which involves coordination across multiple construction phases and contractors.
The Azores continue to expand their renewable energy infrastructure, with geothermal playing a central role. As of 2024, geothermal sources contributed around 21% of the region’s electricity, primarily from facilities on São Miguel and Terceira. The region has set a goal of achieving over 70% renewable energy in the near term and full carbon neutrality by 2050.