“The European Commission has highlighted Portugal as one of the most positive examples within the European Union in the field of energy renewal and policies to combat energy poverty, underlining the impact of reforms supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) in the country,” stated the Ministry of Environment and Energy in a communiqué.
According to the government, Brussels highlights in an analysis published within the scope of the technical support instrument for reforms that the measures implemented by Portugal have enabled “accelerating energy efficiency in homes, improving thermal comfort in thousands of houses, and consistently reducing energy costs for the most vulnerable families.”
“The report emphasizes that Portugal started from a structurally challenging situation: about 75% of residential buildings had an energy class of C or lower, and approximately 17.5% of citizens lived in energy poverty. The progress achieved is, therefore, particularly relevant,” the statement from the ministry also noted, highlighting that Portugal has already promoted more than 85,000 energy renovations in residential buildings.
The ministry, led by Maria Graça Carvalho, adds that the Commission’s recognition comes after Portugal “surpassed 45,000 housing interventions [under the PRR], representing one of the most significant advances recorded among member states,” and the creation of more than 100 “Citizen Energy Spaces,” which serve as centers for energy literacy, technical support, and encouragement for renewable projects.
Cited in the communiqué, the Minister of Environment and Energy stressed that this assessment “is good news for the country and a clear sign that public policies are producing tangible results on the ground.”
“Portugal is committed to consolidating these progresses, ensuring more energy efficiency, more social justice, and a higher quality of life for families across the territory,” she added.
