Gulbenkian launches €300,000 fund to create 10 new renewable energy communities in Portugal

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has launched a new funding programme aimed at accelerating Portugal’s community-led energy transition, offering up to €30,000 each to help establish 10 new renewable energy communities across the country.

Applications for the Gulbenkian Energy Communities competition open today and will run until September 16. The initiative is open to local development associations, cooperatives and other non-profit organisations seeking to develop renewable energy projects based on collective self-consumption.

The programme, launched in partnership with sustainable development cooperative Coopérnico, will provide a total of €300,000 in funding, alongside technical training and capacity-building to help ensure the long-term viability of the projects.

According to the Gulbenkian Foundation, the initiative is intended to demonstrate how Portugal’s energy transition can be driven from the grassroots (not foisted upon communities, as the government is trying to do) while reducing electricity costs, strengthening local energy independence and increasing citizen participation in clean energy production.

Speaking to Público, Luís Jerónimo, director of the Foundation’s Equity and Sustainability Programme, said Portugal currently has fewer than 10 licensed renewable energy communities, with limited financial capacity among local associations and residents remaining one of the main barriers to wider adoption.

“The objective is to help create 10 new renewable energy communities and accelerate the country’s energy transition with the involvement of citizens,” he said.

The funding can be used to purchase equipment for renewable energy installations as well as cover the legal and administrative costs associated with establishing the energy communities.

Successful applicants will also receive specialist training delivered by Coopérnico, helping local teams develop the technical knowledge required to establish and manage renewable energy projects.

The competition will give particular consideration to applications from low-density regions that demonstrate strong local partnerships, reflecting the Foundation’s aim of ensuring the benefits of renewable energy reach communities often overlooked by commercial investment.

Jerónimo said the initiative could deliver immediate benefits, including lower electricity bills, greater energy autonomy, reduced carbon emissions and progress in tackling energy poverty.

“When the market is neglecting households, it is time for foundations to act,” he said.

Ana Rita Antunes, executive coordinator of Coopérnico, described the programme as a potential “turning point” for the expansion of renewable energy communities in Portugal.

She said the competition could become the catalyst for a significant increase in citizen-led renewable energy projects nationwide.

The launch comes as Portugal continues to strengthen its renewable energy sector. According to figures from the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG), installed renewable electricity capacity reached 22.4 GW in April 2026, with 3.3 GW generated through decentralised production, largely from collective self-consumption systems and renewable energy communities.

Eurostat data published in May also ranked Portugal among the European Union’s top three countries for the share of renewable energy in its energy mix, behind only Norway and Denmark. Since 2017, solar photovoltaic capacity has increased by 6.5 GW, while hydropower capacity has grown by 1.2 GW, making them the fastest-expanding renewable technologies in the country.

source material: Público