Porto

Porto is advancing its smart energy infrastructure under SP1 – Digital Infrastructure & ICT Tools, focusing on data collection, energy monitoring, and digital modeling to enhance urban energy management and support Renewable Energy Communities (RECs).

Key Developments in Porto’s SP1 Solutions

• Energy Data Collection & Management: Porto is defining protocols for data collection, formatting, and processing while integrating datasets from public lighting, e-chargers, and renewable energy production to enhance citywide energy insights.
• Smart Metering & Energy Monitoring: The city is expanding Wi-Fi infrastructure in social housing neighborhoods to enable real-time energy tracking, deploying smart meters for electricity monitoring, and increasing the number of devices to improve efficiency.
• Urban Digital Twin for Energy Planning: A 3D energy model is being developed to track building electricity demand, renewable energy production, and street lighting consumption, with real-time data integration to improve forecasting and planning.
• Digital Blueprint for Renewable Energy Communities: Porto is developing a visualization tool to model energy sharing within RECs, optimizing surplus distribution through an advanced algorithm.

Next Steps:

• Expanding Smart Infrastructure: Scaling up the deployment of monitoring devices and Wi-Fi connectivity in social housing to enhance real-time data collection.
• Integrating Complex Energy Data: Addressing inconsistencies in energy datasets and refining validation processes for improved accuracy.
• Enhancing Digital Twin Implementation: Refining the PCED energy model and aligning it with real-time data to support better energy scenario planning.

Lessons Learned & Collaboration Opportunities

Porto underscores the importance of collaboration between city stakeholders to maximize energy data utilization. The city continues to test innovative methods for real-time energy tracking and REC management, setting a model for scalable and replicable smart energy solutions.

Deployment of Energy Communities & Prosumers

Porto is leading the way in solar energy integration by establishing renewable energy communities (RECs) across different municipal buildings, namely social housing buildings and schools. These initiatives aim to enhance self-consumption, reduce energy poverty, and drive the city's energy transition. Through projects like Asprela + Sustentável and the Porto Solar Programme, the city is testing scalable models for clean energy distribution.

With REC licenses approved for three schools and a municipal police building, Porto is setting the groundwork for expansion into social housing. The city is now focused on defining energy-sharing rules, optimizing governance structures, and completing new PV installations. By leading municipal-driven energy communities, Porto is shaping a replicable model for urban clean energy transitions.

Key Developments in Porto’s SP2 Solutions

• PV-Based Energy Communities – Deployment of solar photovoltaic systems across municipal buildings, schools and housing to enable renewable energy consumption and energy sharing.
• Asprela + Sustentável Pilot – The first municipality-led energy community in Portugal, integrating PV, battery storage, and EV charging to reduce grid energy demand by at least 30%.
• Regulatory Progress & Licensing – Approval of REC licenses for three schools and a municipal police building, with future expansion to social housing.
• Smart Energy Management – Implementation of real-time monitoring equipment to track energy production, consumption, and storage for efficient energy sharing.
• Reduction of the Municipal Property Tax (IMI) - Approval of a tax incentive that benefits property owners in the city who invest in the installation of PV.

Next Steps:

• Defining energy-sharing rules and operational frameworks for RECs.
• Expanding PV installations across additional municipal and social housing buildings.
• Completing public procurement for new solar installations in two social housing neighborhoods in the project area.
• Strengthening governance models to optimize energy community management and stakeholder engagement.

Lessons Learned & Collaboration Opportunities

Porto has encountered delays due to a complex licensing process for Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), which has slowed implementation. Securing active engagement from social housing tenants remains essential, while challenges in public procurement for PV installations have further impacted timelines. Despite these hurdles, Porto is advancing a replicable, municipality-led energy community model that supports national policy and EU clean energy goals—laying the foundation for scaling RECs citywide and shaping the future Positive Clean Energy District of Lordelo do Ouro e Massarelos.

Porto is deploying a citywide effort to collect energy data, enhance social housing performance, and demonstrate sustainable architecture through a passive museum building. These efforts support the development of Porto’s PCED and aim to reduce energy poverty while improving energy governance across the city.

Key Developments in Porto’s Refurbishment Solutions

• Energy Audits in Social Housing & Municipal Buildings – Over 100 audits being finalised across the city, gathering crucial data to calibrate the PCED digital twin.
• Smart Monitoring of Social Housing – Installation of Shelly smart meters underway in Lordelo Neighbourhood to map consumption patterns and assessment of energy poverty cases.
• Serralves Foundation Passive Building – The Álvaro Siza Wing of the museum, now open to the public, is built to passive standards, with future plans for renewable energy integration.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration – Strong coordination between AdEPorto, AEdP, Porto Digital, Domus Social and Fundação Serralves is enabling robust data collection, citizen outreach, and infrastructure upgrades.

Next Steps

• Finalize remaining audits and monitoring device installations in social housing units.
• Complete assessment of energy audit results and apply findings to digital twin calibration.
• Define a tailored Energy Poverty Index based on real household data.
• Support the installation of PV systems at the Serralves museum, pending funding.
• Advance integration of energy data into the city’s Urban Data Platform to ensure transparency and scalability.

Lessons Learned

• Standardization Enhances Quality – A common audit template helped ensure consistency and clarity in energy audits across varied housing types.
• Connectivity is crucial – Lack of reliable Wi-Fi in social housing delayed monitoring efforts, requiring creative solutions including temporary private network access.
• Public-Private Data Governance – Balancing data privacy with the need for open energy data remains a key challenge, especially with private institutions such as Serralves.
• Engagement Must Be Local – Gaining resident participation for audits and monitoring depends on accessible communication and support through trusted intermediaries like Domus Social.

Porto’s integrated approach, spanning audits, energy monitoring, and best-in-class construction, offers a scalable model for combining social impact, digital infrastructure, and sustainable building practices within Positive Clean Energy Districts.