AREAM – Agência Regional da Energia e Ambiente da Região Autónoma da Madeira
AREAM is the regional energy and environment agency of Madeira, a non-profit association of public utility dedicated to promoting sustainabl…
Off-grid Systems
Sun, rainwater and independence: off-grid living is a reality across rural Portugal. The projects here show working systems, and several offer stays where you can experience them.
Projects in this focus
Off-grid systems in Portugal
Off-grid in Portugal is less unusual than it sounds. Sun is abundant, plenty of rural properties were never connected, and the cost of running a line to a remote plot is often higher than the cost of not needing one. The hard part is rarely power, it is water in August, and what to do with the wastewater.
The projects here run working systems: solar with battery storage, rainwater harvesting into tanks sized for a five-month dry season, greywater reuse, compost toilets, wood heat.
Several offer stays, which is the honest way to find out whether you want to live with the constraints. Related focuses: solar power, rainwater harvesting, greywater systems and compost toilets. Dated activities from these projects are listed in our events calendar.