The photovoltaic plant will have more than 100 panels, in a first phase, and almost 400 additional panels, in a later phase, to be placed on the roofs of the institution
Cleanwatts will create a Renewable Energy Community (REC) with Lar São Miguel, in Santiago de Litém, in the municipality of Pombal, with the aim of “reducing energy-related costs and combating energy poverty for needy families in the region.
CER “will have no cost for the home”, as the company “will assume the entire investment”, and its photovoltaic plant will be installed on the roofs of the institution’s building.
Lar São Miguel will get “an average discount of 53%, compared to the estimated tariff for grid energy” and CER “will support 213 families, which will benefit from a community social tariff about 30% lower than current market rates,” explains Cleanwatts.
In addition to saving energy bills, Lar São Miguel “becomes carbon-positive, generating 571% more energy than it consumes and avoiding 81 equivalent tons of CO2/year. In addition, it will increase its energy independence, since 46% of the energy consumed will come from the solar plant (self-consumption)”, says a press release.
“We will install a photovoltaic plant with more than 100 panels in a first phase and almost 400 additional panels at a later stage on the roofs of Lar São Miguel,” adds Cleanwatts’ director of energy communities, Maria João Benquerença.
“Lar São Miguel’s CER will start with the installation of the panels at the institution (anchor-producer), after which Cleanwatts will recruit consumers in the region, preferably with social affinities and consumption profiles complementary to that of the anchor-producer,” she explains.
“The CER may subsequently grow with the accession of new producer members, who have roofs or land with capacity to expand the installed photovoltaic power. The impact of the community may also grow with the introduction of other sources of renewable generation, such as wind, biomass or hydroelectric power, for example,” concludes Maria João Benquerença.
