The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, will unveil on Tuesday details about the programs E-LAR and Bairros + Sustentáveis, which allocate 100 million euros to “make homes more efficient and combat energy poverty,” announced the Ministry of Environment on Monday.
The programs will be presented at 12:00 PM at the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Lisbon, according to an agenda note sent to newsrooms.
The E-LAR program, which provides support for families to acquire more efficient appliances, was initially scheduled to start in mid-June, but this has not yet occurred.
Last month, the ministry assured Notícias ao Minuto that the program would begin “soon,” but several media now report that it is expected to launch in September. Notícias ao Minuto is attempting to contact the ministry to confirm this information.
The Ministry of Environment assured Notícias ao Minuto that E_Lar will launch “very soon.” The program aims to promote thermal comfort in homes by replacing inefficient appliances and gas equipment with more efficient and sustainable electric equipment.
Beatriz Vasconcelos | 08:06 – 11/07/2025
At the time, the Ministry overseen by Maria da Graça Carvalho explained that the “slight alteration from the initial forecast is due to the current priority of the Climate Agency: to complete the evaluation and payment of applications to the Programa de Apoio a Edifícios Mais Sustentáveis (PAES 2023)”.
According to the Government, “this effort is very close to being completed,” adding that “81,069 applications were submitted, of which 77,948 were considered valid.” In total, “54 million euros have been paid – more than 85% of applications already evaluated.”
The E-LAR program targets promoting thermal comfort in homes by replacing inefficient appliances and gas equipment with more efficient and sustainable electric equipment.
The ministry highlights the following features of the measure:
- “The access model will be simple, fast, and targeted at the families most in need, with direct support from Energy Spaces across the country;
- The program is intended for beneficiaries of the social energy tariff and minimum social benefits;
Electric appliances with an energy rating of A or higher, replacing gas or less efficient equipment, will be supported; - Each beneficiary will have a maximum support ceiling, with no fixed number of appliances;
- The measure follows the management and control model of the PRR, with robust verification and monitoring mechanisms, including on-site control and recovery of undue amounts.”
The Ministry further stated that the measure “is part of the E_Lar – Bairros Sustentáveis package, approved by the European Commission with an investment exceeding 100 million euros, and anticipates the Social Climate Fund, with 1.6 billion euros planned until 2030, to protect the most vulnerable in the energy transition”.
The program has been extended to all families and registration must be done in person. The list of appliances to be replaced currently includes stoves, ovens, and water heaters.
Notícias ao Minuto | 08:33 – 22/07/2025
