Based in Coimbra, Cleanwatts is launching a program dedicated to people or institutions who want to create energy communityusing photovoltaic panels, no installation costs.
“We are launching a program to attract more dynamic people who have a taste for energy and who want to create their own energy communities in the neighborhood where they live,” said Lusa, co-founder of the company. Basilio Simones.
To create a community, it is enough to collect 500 square meters of roof within a radius of no more than two kilometers and contact Klinwatts.
“500 square meters of roof doesn’t have to be all together. It can be five times 100 square meters or ten times 50,” the official said, stressing that the operation is “free” for those who promote it with a company that invests in installing panels as well as community management. , power.
A minimum size of 500 square meters ensures the financial sustainability of the operation, while energy has a price.”30-35% cheaper than the normal rate that a person pays today,” stressed Basiliou Simões, also stressing that the government has now stopped the growth of spending in families, but if this stops, the difference will be even greater. .
According to Maria Benkerens, Director of Renewable Energy Communities at Cleanwatts, the process is “not very complicated”, with gathering some information from all the people and institutions that want to be in the community, and then the process is submitted for review. licensing.
In addition to this program, the company is also developing an initiative called “100 villages”, which proposes to create energy communities in 100 locations inland.
In the meantime, Cleanwatts is already thinking about “launching 100 more,” Maria Benkerensa said, noting that some of the first places to join the project should be 100% operational by the end of the year, with licensing processes completed. that allow energy to be shared with families and institutions associated with the community.
“We go to the industrial zones and large customers, where the profitability is more obvious because the project is larger and larger, but it seemed interesting to us to think about what the energy communities can bring to the problem that we are very worried about, which is energy poverty.” called the person in charge.
In addition to the 100 villages initiative, Klinwatts has more than a dozen operating energy communities in Portugal, mainly industrial profile, which generate a total of five megawatts.
While the company recognizes the municipalities’ interest in this type of project, it has decided to continue with the private initiative because “what’s public is very slow,” explained Basiliou Simões.
“Almost everyone already knows what it is and understands the importance of this initiative, but they spend a lot of time thinking, they want to create a broad consensus, and the process takes a long time, but we cannot delay because energy, however, has already quadrupled or five times the value it was a year ago. Cameras and companies lose thousands of euros every month. And that is why we prefer to move forward and create communities,” he said.
For Basilio Simões, the model of the company, in addition to working in decarbonization society and in the decentralization of energy production, will also allow its “democratization”.
“This is the D that we really like, democratization, in the sense that all of us, individuals, small companies, social institutions, can produce our energy and decide who we sell it to. I can produce on my roof and sell to my neighbor across the street, I can make decisions about who is part of my community. We don’t have to wait for the municipality to make a decision at the municipal meeting. We can start, and then they will join if they want,” said Lusa co-founder of the company.
