The EDP Foundation will support 15 projects that offer social responses through renewable energy solutions, energy efficiency, and sustainable mobility. These projects aim to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, the elderly, socially and economically vulnerable families, and refugees, among other groups. In total, it is expected that they will have a direct positive impact on the lives of more than 18,000 people in Aveiro, Braga, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Porto, Santarém, Setúbal, and Viseu.
Among other criteria, these projects were selected for their social relevance, innovative nature, and long and medium-term sustainability.
This support is awarded under the EDP Solidarity Energy Programme 2023 and represents an investment of around 1 million euros in Portugal. The EDP Solidarity Energy programme, which aims to support social responses that promote a just energy transition, was also launched this year in Spain and Brazil, with a total budget allocation of around 2 million euros. In both Portugal and Spain, the organisations selected also rely on the collaboration of volunteers from the EDP group to implement their projects.
'Social organisations are essential partners in responding to various social challenges caused by situations of exclusion, inequality, and inequity. These are people who could become even more vulnerable if we fail to ensure a fair energy transition for all. This is one of the main focuses of EDP's global social impact strategy – Y.E.S. - You Empower Society – which motivates us to act as social investors through our partnerships with social economy organisations and universities, and through the involvement of our volunteers,' says Vera Pinto Pereira, president of the EDP Foundation, who also chaired the selection panel for the 2023 edition of the EDP Solidarity Programme.
The selection panel also featured António Vidigal (Energy and ITC consultant; Former Chairman of EDP Inovação), Filipe Santos (Dean of the Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics, Social Innovation Specialist, Chairman of the EDP Foundation Board of Trustees), Joana Balsemão (Councillor at Cascais City Council, member of the EDP Group Sustainability Committee and member of the EDP Foundation Board of Trustees), Júlia Seixas (Pro-Rector of Universidade Nova Lisboa, Sustainability Specialist), Margarida Couto (Partner at Vieira de Almeida e Associados, President of Grace and member of the EDP Foundation Board of Trustees), and Martim Salgado (Director of the Social Impact Coordination Office EDP and director of the EDP Foundation).
The EDP Solidarity Energy programme, which is now aligned with the EDP group's strategy to promote a fair energy transition, is an evolution of the EDP Solidarity programme which, since its creation, has sought to support social projects with a strong impact on society and communities, particularly among the most vulnerable groups.
In Portugal, EDP Solidarity was launched in 2004 and has so far supported more than 400 social projects in all of the country's districts, with an investment of around 17 million euros. In Spain, the programme was launched in 2015 and has already supported 174 projects, to which more than 5 million euros has been allocated. In total, more than 570 projects have been supported in the Iberian peninsula, with a positive impact on the lives of around 2 million people.
PROJECTS SUPPORTED:
Name: Geocaching sénior: pedalar sem idade
Organisation: Pedalar sem Idade – Associação Parábola Citadina
Partners: Câmara Municipal do Porto, União de Freguesias de Aldoar Foz and Nevogilde
Description: A game based on a ride on an electric bicycle adapted for seniors, in which the passenger has to solve challenges to find a box hidden in a particular place of interest. Includes heritage discovery tours and energy-saving challenges.
District: Porto
Name: Energia que move
Organisation: Rés do Chão
Partners: Braga City Council, Bicicultura, L3P of the University of Aveiro, CeiED of Lusófona University.
Description: The project proposes transforming the spaces in front of the entrances to two schools in Braga with energy-efficient solutions that promote active mobility.
District: Lisbon
Name: Lavandaria mais verde
Organisation: Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Sines
Description: Implementation of a new green laundry at Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Sines, with the aim of optimising energy consumption through the use of innovative equipment and various energy-saving mechanisms, which will enable the level of quality to be maintained and waste to be avoided.
District: Setúbal
Name: Ecolive
Organisation: Cercipeniche
Description: To provide the community with a programme of innovative and sustainable therapies, based on the concept of Green or Natural Therapy, with a focus on the relationship between human beings and nature, based on the promotion of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
District: Leiria
Name: Bem precioso
Organisation: Centro de Bem Estar Social de Vale de Figueira
Description: Acquisition and adaptation of an electric van to carry out physiotherapy treatments and sessions, making it possible to reach beneficiaries who cannot travel to the clinic or to spaces set aside for this purpose.
District: Santarém
Name: Rodas sustentáveis para alimentar
Organisation: REFOOD (Viseu)
Partners: Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, Inovável - Renewable Energies,Remax Dinâmica,Viseu Parish Council
Description: Reinforcing the REFOOD centre with vehicles to collect surplus food from its partners (supermarkets, restaurants, etc.) and to make home deliveries to beneficiary families who are unable to collect the basket from the Operations Centre. There are plans to purchase electric vehicles and install photovoltaic panels for self-consumption.
District: Viseu
Name: 'Super-Horta': projeto-piloto de instalação de sistema de aquaponia num contentor marítimo
Organisation: Paróquia de São Francisco Xavier de Caparica
Partners: Associação Padre Amadeu Pinto SJ
Description: Through a pilot project, the aim is to confirm the feasibility of adapting a shipping container to install a modular and autonomous aquaponics system, enabling intensive vegetable production in conjunction with fish farming.
District: Setúbal
Name: Diminuir a pobreza energética para aumentar a inclusão
Organisation: ASSOL - Associação de Solidariedade Social de Lafões
Partners: Larcli,Atelier 3670,Moreira e Rodrigues
Description: Through a pilot project, the aim is to confirm the feasibility of adapting a shipping container to install a modular and autonomous aquaponics system, enabling intensive vegetable production in conjunction with fish farming.
District: Viseu
Nome: CSPP - Sustentabilidade Social: Energia e Cuidados para o Futuro
Organisation: Centro Social da Paróquia de Penamaior
Description: To increase environmental sustainability and reduce the institution's expenses by installing solar panels and more efficient equipment, making improvements to the kitchen and acquiring an electric vehicle for home support.
District: Porto
Name: Rotas de sustentabilidade no acolhimento de refugiados em Portugal
Organisation: Conselho Português para os Refugiados
Partners: ACP - Automóvel Club de Portugal
Description: An electric vehicle will be purchased to transport refugees as soon as they arrive and in more vulnerable cases to travel to relevant services. Awareness-raising activities on sustainability and multicultural meetings will also be organised.
District: Lisboa
Name: Sol d'oiro
Organisation: Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Vila Velha de Ródão
Partners: Vila Velha de Ródão Parish Council, Sarnadas de Ródão Parish Council, Perais Parish Council, Fratel Parish Council, Vila Velha de Ródão City Council.
Description: Construction of a photovoltaic production centre for self-consumption. These panels will be used to supply energy to the retirement home's main building, as well as to the Wall Box for charging the institution's 2 electric vehicles.
District: Castelo Branco
Name: TERRA (Transição Energética para a Recuperação dos Recursos Ambientais)
Organisation: Infanta D. Mafalda Schools Group
Description: Promoting sustainable energy consumption in the school's organic vegetable garden by installing solar panels; training the school community to preserve and value natural resources by implementing energy efficiency measures; reducing dependence on fossil fuels for transport to and from school by purchasing electric scooters.
District: Porto
Name: Terra dos Sonhos, Energia Sobre Rodas
Organisation: Associação Terra dos Sonhos
Description: To create an electric kiosk van to sell drinks, coffee, food and Terra dos Sonhos merchandising at festivals and events. The project aims to give young people in foster care their first paid professional experience in a safe environment.
District: Lisboa
Name: #SomosEnergia: capacitação e acção para uma transição energética justa e participada
Organisation: Associação Sustainable Energy Youth Network
Partners: University of Évora, Drive Impact CRL
Description: To scale up the Just Youth Energy Academy (Just-YEA) programme already developed on the Alentejo coast. With the aim of arousing interest in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energies and mobility, training will be promoted to develop the technical and interpersonal skills of NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) young people in the two zones around the Sines and Pego thermoelectric power stations.
District: Lisboa
Name: Jovens Mentores para a Transição Energética
Organisation: Solar do Mimo
Description: To train the children and young people supported by Solar do Mimo, with the aim of turning them into 'mentors for the energy transition,' both for internal employees of the institution and for the local community.
District: Guarda
