AH Sortelha self-consumption community

The challenge ‘Historic Villages of Portugal towards Carbon Neutrality’ is to make the changes associated with decarbonisation compatible with the balance between maintaining heritage identity and the peculiarities of each of the 12 Historic Villages that make up this network. In a collaborative process, in the spirit of circularity, energy transition and carbon neutrality as an act of responsibility, the Historic Villages of Portugal Network counts on partners such as Greenvolt, whose spirit of mission fits in with this ambitious approach, which seeks to elevate the Historic Villages of Portugal to the status of a sustainable destination while driving the reduction of energy poverty. Within this framework, the Historical Village of Sortelha will be the first pilot project for a collective self-consumption energy community in the 12 Historical Villages. The energy community, implemented on a 2,600 m2 plot of land belonging to the Parish Council, and with no constraints - REN, RAN or heritage protection - and outside the visual basin encompassed by the Historical Village, represents an investment fully assumed by GREENVOLT, including a battery that will allow the accumulation of energy not consumed during the day, thus favouring green and cheaper energy consumption.

But this project covers not only the Historic Village and its perimeter, but will serve the entire Parish of Sortelha, representing a substantial reduction in the price of KWA for all those associated with it, whether private, public or business. The 594 modules to be installed represent 324 kWp of installed energy, thus achieving energy positivity for the Historic Village of Sortelha, i.e. producing more renewable energy than it consumes.

As such, and because this project is fundamental to meeting the target of reducing CO2 emissions by around 55 per cent by 2030, as well as substantially improving quality of life and strengthening territorial competitiveness, indexed to lower costs for those who live or have businesses based here, it will be a unique example at national and European level, given the context and nature of the project, and strengthening our country's position in this area, focused on rural areas.