Energy communities double in a year
Simplified rules for collective self-consumption raise the exemption threshold to 800 watts and extend allowed distances between producers and consumers. Connected energy communities have grown to 1,218 projects.
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Seven days of the Pulse, curated into one weekly read.
25 June 2026
A warm good morning from a sustainable Portugal in motion: today we look at renewable energy made simpler, fields and orchards adapting to a changing climate, and small steps that keep our nature and communities thriving.
Clean energy within everyone's reach
A new decree-law lowers administrative barriers for citizens, businesses and municipalities to produce and share renewable energy, with simpler grid consultations and wider permitted distances.
More producers join the biomethane push
The bioenergy producers' association APPB welcomed three new biomethane companies as members, strengthening the sector as it pushes to transpose EU renewable rules and launch a national biomethane market plan.
Recovering heat to brew beer
Central de Cervejas opened a high-temperature heat pump system at Vialonga that reuses surplus refrigeration energy instead of gas-fired steam, cutting thermal CO2 emissions by around half and avoiding over 7,000 tonnes yearly.
Protected areas burn less
A WWF Portugal report found Natura 2000 conservation zones burned at half the rate of other land between 2021 and 2025, showing nature conservation and fire prevention can go hand in hand.
Wildfires are mostly human-driven
The same WWF analysis stresses that fires in Portugal are largely linked to human activity and mostly affect shrubland, recommending better shrubland management and more science in policy.
Maronesa cattle as natural firebreaks
A pilot in Alvão uses native maronesa cattle to graze under high-voltage power lines, clearing vegetation and creating natural firebreaks around critical infrastructure.
Guided grazing proposed for Madeira
The Socialist Party proposed amending Madeira's silvopastoral rules to add directed grazing as a fire prevention tool, countering land abandonment while supporting rural income and populations.
Algarve citrus woos Europe
The Internacionalizar + Algarve 3.0 project brought European journalists and influencers to local citrus producers to promote the IGP-protected fruit, whose sales topped 64,000 tonnes last season.
Adding value to Portuguese food
At a FIPA conference, CIP's Armindo Monteiro urged the agri-food sector to compete on high-value products like gourmet, organic and DOP goods rather than price, calling for more cooperation and stability.
Genomic techniques for resilient crops
As the EU nears new rules on New Genomic Techniques, MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral argues they are key for food security and climate-resilient crops, with Portugal seen as a clear beneficiary.
Tackling resistance in sheep
Researchers found widespread resistance to benzimidazole dewormers in Portuguese sheep, especially in the Alentejo, and are exploring natural products as promising alternatives.
Livestock by-products for tomato fields
An INIAV study tested manure and slurry as a complement to mineral fertiliser in industrial tomato crops, aiming to support more sustainable practices without sacrificing yield.
Choosing the right fig variety
With over 600 fig varieties worldwide, choosing the right one for local soil and climate is increasingly key for productive, sustainable orchards under climate change.
The quince, rediscovered
The aromatic quince, deeply tied to Portuguese tradition, is drawing fresh scientific interest as a fibre-rich functional food with promising uses in the food sector.
Pecan trees in Oeiras
INIAV's Oeiras campus hosts a pecan tree collection with research and educational value, and new initiatives are sharing this important nut species with the public.
Spotting 'pinking' in white wines
Portuguese and Italian researchers studied spectroscopic and colorimetric methods to detect 'pinking', a salmon hue in white wines, before bottling, since the flaw can appear only after bottling.
A national water strategy is born
Portugal published the 'Água Que Une' strategy and created AdP AQUA to deliver it, focusing on efficiency, resilience and intelligence to tackle scarcity, flooding and climate change.
Cleaner wastewater in Alto Minho
Águas do Alto Minho is investing around 730,000 euros in Caminha and Valença to upgrade pumping stations and extend sewer networks, improving sanitation reliability and environmental performance.
New underwater robots for Madeira
The Madeiran Ocean Observatory is acquiring two autonomous underwater vehicles, funded by about 6 million euros, for environmental monitoring and high-resolution seabed mapping down to 6,000 metres.
Baixo Alentejo cuts landfill to 15%
Resialentejo slashed waste sent to landfill from 94% in 2012 to 15% in 2026, sending 65% to recycling and already surpassing the EU's 2030 recycling goal.
Circular economy can't wait
Ahead of Earth Overshoot Day, Smart Waste Portugal warns Portugal exhausted its yearly resources by 7 May, urging a shift to reuse, repair and recycling backed by broad collaboration.
A green industrial strategy to 2040
The government ordered a Green Industrial Strategy with a 2040 horizon, led by ADENE and IAPMEI, to decarbonise industry, boost productivity and attract new value chains, with public consultation by November 2026.
Sustainable textiles take the stage
The 111.5 million euro LUSITANO Project showcases fabrics from recycled and natural materials like linen and hemp, smart traceability labels and water treatment tech to boost Portugal's textile competitiveness.
Lisbon Metro to open earlier
ZERO welcomed a pilot to test earlier Metro opening around 5:30am from October, benefiting early-shift workers and cutting car use, urging the trial to gather data rather than delay the change.
Algarve Metrobus at risk
A 100 million euro electric bus corridor linking Faro, Olhão and Loulé is in jeopardy over a 40 million euro funding dispute, risking the loss of 60 million euros in already-approved EU funds.
Ever-bigger cars, growing risks
A European report warns rising car sizes through 2040 will worsen road safety, urban space and energy efficiency, with ZERO calling for policies favouring safer, more compact and efficient vehicles.
Joining forces against energy poverty
ADENE and Just a Change signed a protocol to tackle energy poverty, combining technical tools with home rehabilitation for low-income families, a challenge affecting up to 3 million people in Portugal.
Are home extensions 'evolutionary housing'?
An article asks whether informal home extensions count as evolutionary housing, concluding they don't, since they typically lack the planning intent, licensing and habitability standards that define the concept.
Eco-Schools council in Ponta do Sol
A school in Ponta do Sol held its Eco-Schools council, reviewing a year of environmental projects from organic gardens to beach clean-ups, with an external audit confirming progress towards the Eco-Schools award.
Energy certificates under the spotlight
As part of the EU's EPBD.wise project, ADENE published reports on the role of Energy Performance Certificates, highlighting the need for better quality control, data, training and links to financing.
AI and robotics enter agronomy classrooms
Lisbon's ISA carried out its biggest curriculum overhaul in a decade, embedding AI, robotics and data science across its courses and hosting the first European Network Living Lab in a Portuguese university.
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A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
Recent
- Good morning. Today brings volcanic bubbles off the Azores, a rare seabird's first flight over Madeira and a handful of good things close to home.
- Good morning. Today brings meteorites for Azorean classrooms, the long journey of Algarve carob, river walks and harvest fairs, and a few matters that deserve a closer look.
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- Good morning. Today the country moves on two wheels and by seed: cycle routes, mobility plans and a seed bank keeping 40,000 varieties safe, with a heat warning to keep an eye on.