The Cel Rural Project, which is part of the Culatra 2030 – Sustainable Energy Community pilot, was awarded the Roger Léron prize for the best innovation performance in the energy transition, awarded by the European Federation of Energy and Environment Agencies (Fedarene), as part of the 35th anniversary gala, held on May 15th.
Cel Rural’s candidacy was selected from three finalists, and the prize was awarded by live vote. The project was recognized by its innovative character, significant impact and local and regional replication potentialpositioning itself as a reference in the development of energy communities in rural areas in Europe.
The Cel Rural Project, which is titled “Development of pilot actions for the promotion of local energy communities (CEL) in rural environments of the Poctep space”It was recognized for the work developed in technological solutions for intelligent energy management and is co-financed by European funds managed in the region, within the European Fund for Regional Development (Feder) and Interreg VI-A España-Portugal 2021-2027 (Poctep).
Involving local communities, the pilot is led by the led by C-Coop (Cooperative for Sustainable Development of Ilha da Culatra, formally constituted September 25, 2022) and aims to promote the implementation of renewable energies to reinforce the development of a sustainable and local energy system in the transionic regions through the adoption of innovative energy self-consumer models. In addition to the Culatra 2030, includes three other pilots in Xermade (Lugo) and Fontivers (Ávila), both in Spain, and in Vilaverde, Braga, Portugal, who will integrate the technology developed by the set of partners, having now been announced a fifth pilot, to be developed in Mocheche, Galicia, reinforcing practical implementation in the border territory of Portugal and Spain.
A Galicia Technological Institute Foundation (ITG), as the main beneficiary of the consortium that also integrates the University of Algarve and the Algarve Regional Energy and Environment Agency (Areal), expressed the SUE thanks to all partners involved, reinforcing joint commitment to the energy transition and sustainability in rural regions.
“Together we can make the energy transition a reality in our regions”concludes the Cel Rural project team, which faces this distinction as a strong momentum to continue to innovate for a more sustainable future.
A, composed by the University of Algarve (UALG), the Culatra Island Residents Association (AMIC), Make It Better (MIB) and thirteen local and regional entities, which was made up of the certification process for sustainability to implement in the context of the program.
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