Coopérnico’s Final Event Highlights Achievements and Challenges in Advancing Energy Communities in Portugal

Coopérnico, a pioneering cooperative in Portugal's renewable energy sector, hosted its final event in October under the Citizen-led renovation (CLR) initiative. At this event, the cooperative reflected on its journey and achievements while addressing the challenges ahead.

A Transformative Journey

Coopérnico began by raising funds to invest in decentralised solar energy projects, primarily benefiting cooperatives and the social sector. Over time, the organisation expanded its scope to include electricity commercialisation from renewable sources. Today, Coopérnico has grown into a thriving community of over 6,000 members across Portugal, championing collective action for a sustainable energy future.

The Push for Energy Communities in Portugal

Despite Portugal's energy community legislation focusing on collective production and consumption of renewable electricity, particularly photovoltaic (PV) systems, tangible progress in Citizen-led Renovation (CLR) remains limited. The licensing process for Renewable Energy Communities (REC) continues to be a significant bottleneck, often taking over a year and presenting numerous administrative hurdles.

Achievements Under CLR Phase I

Coopérnico's involvement in CLR Phase I proved instrumental in advancing its objectives:

• Learning and Networking: Collaborating with consortium partners and Energent offered invaluable insights, particularly during a workshop in January 2024. These engagements helped Coopérnico set up a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) for energy community services.
• Supporting Communities: Three of the six initially selected citizen groups have successfully transitioned into formal energy communities. Coopérnico supported these groups in applying for Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) grants (open from August to October 2024) to fund PV installations for collective self-consumption.
• Innovative Financing Solutions: Coopérnico made strides in business modelling with Goparity, signing referral fee contracts with suppliers and developing new financing mechanisms such as crowdlending and operational renting to empower RECs financially.

Voices from the Field

Luís Cachinho's presentation at the event underscored the cooperative's progress while acknowledging ongoing challenges, especially the slow and complex licensing process for RECs. Following this, Ricardo Branco from Comenda REC shared insights from their project, echoing similar concerns. Comenda REC is focused on establishing PV systems for self-consumption and supporting citizens in advancing renovation efforts.

Looking Ahead

While the path forward is not without obstacles, Coopérnico's innovative approaches and steadfast support for local communities lay a strong foundation for Portugal's transition toward renewable energy. With lessons learned from CLR Phase I and partnerships like those with Energent and Goparity, Coopérnico is poised to foster sustainable, citizen-driven energy solutions.

Coopérnico's event highlighted the potential of energy communities and the systemic changes needed to unlock their full potential, leaving attendees optimistic about the future of renewable energy in Portugal.