Portugal unveils national energy storage strategy with 2030-2040 targets
Portugal has presented its National Energy Storage Strategy, setting targets of 6.9 GW by 2030 and 9.76 GW by 2040. The strategy frames storage, for the first time nationally, as key to security of supply, grid stability and integrating growing renewable output. It adopts technology-neutral principles, non-discriminatory market participation, and allows combining revenue sources. A public consultation is now open, offering a chance to add energy-capacity (GWh) targets alongside power (GW) goals, distinguish large-scale storage from distributed resources, and strengthen the digital coordination needed to manage thousands of assets efficiently.
Portugal to propose seismic safety rules for existing buildings by late September
Portugal's government plans to present new rules on seismic safety for existing buildings by the end of September, with the Algarve, Alentejo Litoral, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and the Azores identified as the most vulnerable areas. The framework, developed with the LNEC engineering institute, will assess, classify and mitigate seismic risk in buildings, accounting for regional differences in hazard levels. Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz also announced a permanent monitoring mechanism for bridges and slopes, following an LNEC audit that carried out 53 inspections after severe weather. Related resilience measures total over 1.1 billion euros.
PS leader proposes renewable energy revenue share for municipalities
PS secretary-general José Luís Carneiro, speaking at the party's National Municipal Convention in Leiria, proposed that municipalities receive a share of revenues generated by renewable energy projects, arguing this would compensate local authorities that bear the burden of hosting sustainable energy infrastructure. He linked this to a broader call for a new local finance law bringing Portugal's local revenue share closer to the European average. Carneiro also proposed a new municipal electoral law to ensure greater stability for executives, alongside a new Statute for Local Elected Officials offering clearer legal protections and conditions for local representatives.
Coimbra to lead EU project on climate-resilient urban drainage
The Polytechnic University of Coimbra will coordinate ResSuDSCita, a European project developing sustainable urban drainage systems to make cities more resilient to climate change. Running for 36 months under the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership, it involves partners from Portugal, Greece, Poland, Hungary and Sweden, plus municipal company Águas de Coimbra, with total investment exceeding one million euros. Led by researcher Joaquim Sousa, the multidisciplinary team will test green infrastructure that reduces flooding, improves water quality, boosts biodiversity and eases urban heat islands, while incorporating industrial waste into drainage solutions under circular economy principles. The project is currently in its preparation phase.
Braga turns 19th-century soap factory into student halls
Braga has opened the Residência Universitária Confiança, now the largest public student housing facility in Portugal, with 786 beds and over 29 million euros invested through the PRR recovery fund. The building is the former Fábrica Confiança, a soap and perfume factory founded in 1894 that closed in 2005 and had stood empty since. The project combined the municipality, EU funding and university management, converting a derelict historic building into student accommodation rather than building on new land. Commentators point to it as a model other university cities with abandoned historic buildings, such as Coimbra, Porto, Aveiro and Évora, could replicate.
