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A growing collection of real initiatives

Meet the communities.
Learn from their choices.

From neighbourhood solar to citizen-owned cooperatives. Explore who is doing what, how their model works, and what the available evidence actually supports.

7 Portugal · 2 European examplesExplore the wider EU map (opens in a new tab)

9 initiatives in this starter collection

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LisboaPortugal

Telheiras / Lumiar

Reported operationalLocal sharing

A neighbourhood solar community promoted by Viver Telheiras and the Lumiar parish council, with vulnerable households included.

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Sources & what to check

The organiser reports two production units and 70 members on its community page. This is an organiser report, not an independent outcome audit.

What to learn: Build participation and advice around a local organisation people already know.

Still to verify: Audited savings, current joining availability and registration documents have not been verified.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

PortoPortugal

Agra do Amial

Reported operationalLocal sharing

A solar energy community involving municipal housing and a local school, developed through Asprela + Sustentável.

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Sources & what to check

The municipality describes the community as an ERSE pilot. Porto’s 2024 sustainability report says it began operating in May 2024.

What to learn: Municipal buildings and housing can anchor a community with a social purpose.

Still to verify: Current membership, independently measured savings and open participation have not been verified.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

Portugal mainlandPortugal

Coopérnico

Reported activeCooperative

A Portuguese renewable-energy cooperative with citizen investment, electricity supply and community-development support.

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Sources & what to check

Its website documents membership, supply and renewable-generation investment. A nationwide cooperative is a different model from a single local sharing group.

What to learn: Cooperative ownership can connect member capital to renewable generation.

Still to verify: Legal CER/CCE classification of individual projects must be checked separately. Member benefits depend on the service or project.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

São João da MadeiraPortugal

SANJOTEC

Reported operationalLocal sharing

A technology-park solar community with Cleanwatts, combining rooftop panels and parking canopies with local energy sharing.

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Sources & what to check

SANJOTEC’s 15 August 2026 announcement reports operation and 271.8 kWp installed. The 312 MWh/year production and 74% own-use figures are estimates.

What to learn: A host site with daytime consumption can anchor sharing with nearby participants.

Still to verify: Measured yearly production, realised savings, legal registration and current joining availability require confirmation.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: 2026-08-15.

Portimão, AlgarvePortugal

Autódromo Internacional do Algarve

Provider-reported projectLocal sharing

A large rooftop solar project at the Algarve motorsport complex, presented by SES Energia as an energy community.

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Sources & what to check

SES’s 27 August 2025 case study reports more than 1,151 kWp and local sharing. This differs from the research report’s approximate 1 MW figure.

What to learn: A substantial host can anchor generation, but local participation and governance still need evidence.

Still to verify: Independent operating data, member governance, registration and realised savings have not been established.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: 2025-08-27.

Vila Verde, BragaPortugal

Adega Cultural de Vila Verde

Reported pilot operationLocal sharing

A rural photovoltaic energy-sharing pilot at a municipal cultural venue, documented by CIM Cávado.

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Sources & what to check

The intermunicipal authority says the pilot is already functioning and describes generation, consumption and sharing.

What to learn: Local public institutions can provide a site and coordination for a rural demonstration.

Still to verify: Capacity, measured outcomes, legal registration and current membership are undisclosed in the reviewed page.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

Miranda do DouroPortugal

Miranda do Douro

Provider-reported projectLocal sharing

A community project associated with the local Santa Casa da Misericórdia and Cleanwatts.

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Sources & what to check

Cleanwatts reports establishing a community in August 2021 and identifies the Santa Casa in its organisation history.

What to learn: Social institutions can host generation and help connect a project to local needs.

Still to verify: Present operational status, capacity, energy output, member numbers and formal registration have not been independently verified.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

SpainSpain

Som Energia

Reported activeCooperative

A member-based renewable-energy cooperative combining electricity supply and generation projects.

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Sources & what to check

The cooperative publishes its supply, production and participation model. Included as a European example, without asserting Portuguese eligibility.

What to learn: Look at member participation and governance alongside the technical system.

Still to verify: Eligibility and availability vary by local project. This entry does not establish REC/CEC status under a particular national scheme.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

FlandersBelgium

Ecopower

Reported activeCooperative

A citizen-owned cooperative investing in renewable generation and supplying electricity to its members.

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Sources & what to check

The organisation describes cooperative ownership of wind, solar, batteries and heat networks. This is organisation-reported activity.

What to learn: Long-term ownership and supply can reinforce one another within a cooperative.

Still to verify: This is not a local Portuguese ACC template. Current membership conditions and project-level outcomes require direct review.

Checked 2026-10-12. Source publication date: not disclosed.

From example to useful evidence

Two projects.
Practical lessons.

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Organiser estimate, not a measured annual result

SANJOTEC: a host that can share

Solar canopies and rooftops serve the technology park first, with remaining energy intended for local sharing.

271.8 kWpInstalled solar
312 MWh/yearExpected generation
74 %Expected host share

Expected annual split, reported by the organiser. Realised energy allocation and savings have not been audited.

What to learn: Design around the host’s load profile, then establish transparent member terms. Annual forecasts need later comparison with actual meter data.

Checked 2026-10-12

Public-authority project report; no measured outcome dataset disclosed

Vila Verde: a public place to begin

The Adega Cultural gives a rural pilot a municipal venue for generation, consumption and sharing. CIM Cávado describes the pilot as functioning.

No numerical operating results are disclosed in the reviewed source.

What to learn: A public host and regional coordination can reduce the organising burden. Verify capacity, participant agreements and monitoring results before replicating the model.

Checked 2026-10-12

About this collection

These records are a starting set, not a national register. Local sharing projects and nationwide cooperatives have different models. A reported project name does not independently establish legal CER or CCE status.

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