Collective Self-consumption

Be part of a sustainable community.

Join the energy transition movement and explore innovative solutions for a more sustainable future. Collective Self-Consumption is one of these solutions—discover how it can transform the way we consume and share energy.

What is Collective Self-consumption?

Collective Self-Consumption allows multiple consumers to share the energy produced by one or more Self-Consumption Production Units (Unidade de Produção para Autoconsumo - UPAC, in Portuguese), such as solar panels. It is a flexible and accessible solution for apartment buildings, businesses, and local communities that wish to support the transition to renewable energy sources.

Anyone can join a collective self-consumption group. Members of the energy community can be both consumers and/or producers of energy, with the sharing typically managed by a Collective Self-Consumption Management Entity (Entidade Gestora do Autoconsumo Coletivo - EGAC), appointed by the respective members, which represents the collective self-consumption group to operators and administrative entities.

Refer to the collective self-consumption regulations for further clarification, or download our complete step-by-step guide to learn how you can become a collective self-consumer (PDF - 14.68 MB).

How does it work, and who are the participants?
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  1. A community must designate a Collective Self-Consumption Management Entity (Entidade Gestora do Autoconsumo Coletivo - EGAC), which can be a community member, an energy supplier, a property manager, or a third-party company. The EGAC plays a crucial role in the implementation and management of Collective Self-Consumption. It is responsible for:

    • Registration and Compliance: Ensuring that the production unit is properly registered and complies with all applicable regulations.
       
    • Operational Management: Monitoring energy production and consumption, ensuring efficient and fair distribution among participants.
       
    • Maintenance: Ensuring regular and preventive maintenance of the production unit to maximize efficiency and minimize operational costs.
       
    • Payment of Network Access Fees: Ensuring payment to the network operator of the applicable Network Access Fees for self-consumption through the Public Service Electric Network (Rede Elétrica de Serviço Público - RESP), as defined in the Collective Self-Consumption Regulation.

     

    There is a dedicated online area for the EGAC, where they can have an overview of the entire process and all the installations within the community. Here, you can create a contract for each new collective that uses the RESP, download it afterwards, check the account balance for up to 90 days, review monthly issued invoices, and perform many other actions.

  2. Members can be consumers, producers, or both (prosumers). A consumer will have only a Consumption Installation and will consume the energy produced within the community. A producer will be responsible for one or more Self-Consumption Production Units (Unidade de Produção para Autoconsumo - UPAC), such as solar panels, which generate the renewable energy that powers the community. It is also possible to both produce and consume the energy generated, making someone both a producer and a consumer simultaneously (prosumers).

    Each member consumes a portion of the produced energy according to the defined sharing coefficient and is responsible for ensuring the compliance of their installations.

  3. E-REDES is the primary operator of the electricity distribution grids in mainland Portugal, managing High, Medium, and Low Voltage networks. Its main objectives are to ensure the supply of electricity and to promote the development of the distribution network that supports the energy transition.

    Regarding collective self-consumption, E-REDES is responsible for assessing the network's capacity, replacing and adapting electricity meters, as well as measuring the energy injected into the network and sending this information to the electricity supplier. Contracts for the use of the Public Service Electricity Network (Rede Elétrica de Serviço Público - RESP) are also made with E-REDES.

  4. The Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (Direção-Geral de Energia e Geologia - DGEG) is the Portuguese public administration body responsible for contributing to the design, promotion, and evaluation of policies related to energy and geological resources, with a focus on sustainable development and ensuring the security of supply.

    The community must be registered on the DGEG portal, where the role of each installation is identified, and where the EGAC can monitor the entire process of the respective community. The DGEG is also responsible for assessing the proximity of the community members and certifying the Self-Consumption community. 

  5. The Public Service Electricity Network (Rede Elétrica de Serviço Público - RESP) can be used to transport and distribute the energy produced by the production units to the community's consumers. The use of the RESP involves entering into a network usage contract between the EGAC and E-REDES. This contract defines the conditions for access to and use of the network, ensuring that energy is distributed efficiently and safely.

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Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
01. Identification of participants and representative

Any type of establishment can be a part of an energy community, including townhouses, apartment blocks, condominiums, or businesses.

The initial step will be to select a representative, who will be designated as the Collective Self-Consumption Managing Entity (Entidade Gestora do Autoconsumo Coletivo - EGAC). This entity will be responsible for managing the community's activities and coordinating with all stakeholders throughout the process.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
02. Registering the community on the DGEG Portal

The EGAC must register the collective self-consumption or the energy community on the portal of the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG), identifying the role of each installation in the community (consumer, producer, or prosumer).

It is also possible to identify production facilities that are not yet built, but intend to join the community in the registration.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
03. Evaluation of network capacity

The DGEG will analyse the proximity between different community members, and E-REDES will assess the electrical network capacity to support collective self-consumption, as well as the possibility of using the Public Service Electricity Network (RESP).

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
04. Monitoring processes

Throughout the entire process, EGAC can monitor the progress through the DGEG portal, while each member can track the status of their respective installation through the link sent by E-REDES.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
05. The meter verification is done

At this stage, E-REDES will verify the meters to ensure they are suitable for self-consumption. If they are not, E-REDES will ensure their adequacy. The producer is responsible for ensuring the adequacy of meters that are not the responsibility of E-REDES, according to current regulations.

You can check approved meters in this file (XLSX - 0.012 MB).

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
06. Community Certification

The EGAC must request certification from the DGEG, and once certified, the community will be officially recognised and will begin sharing energy with a predefined sharing coefficient (proportional to consumption).

This coefficient determines how the produced energy will be distributed among community members.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
07. Change of sharing coefficient

If the EGAC wishes to change the predefined sharing coefficient, they must inform E-REDES through the reserved online area for Self-Consumption Manager.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
08. Use of Public Service Electricity Network (RESP)

If at the beginning of the process E-REDES indicated the need to use the Public Service Electricity Network (RESP), the EGAC must, at this stage, enter a network usage contract with E-REDES, which can also be done through the dedicated online area for the EGAC.

Becoming a Collective Self-consumer step by step
09. Access to information on the Digital Counter

Your community is established, and you can now  benefit from the energy produced and shared by it!To monitor all information regarding your installation and your consumption/injection, you can consult the E-REDES Digital Counter or use the E-REDES Digital app.

What equipment is needed?
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  1. Equipment with which the producer (or the prosumer) generates energy from a renewable energy source.

  2. 2.1. Contador Bidirecional
    
It is used for the consumer (or the prosumer) to measure the installation's consumption and the excess energy injected into the network.

    This meter is the responsibility of E-REDES. If the meter is not suitable for self-consumption, E-REDES will replace or adapt it at no cost to the customer.


    2.2. Totaliser Meter and GSM Card
    If the consumer (or the prosumer) requires an installed capacity greater than 4kW, an additional meter is needed. In addition to the electricity meter provided by E-REDES, there must also be a totalizer meter, which will measure the total electrical energy produced by the UPAC.

    The installation and all associated costs for this meter are the responsibility of the self-consumer, as well as the modem and GSM telecommunications card. The card is linked to the meter and enables remote data collection, as well as remote reading and monitoring.


    The GSM card that the customer purchases must fulfil the following requirements:

    • "Circuit Switch Data" communication, which corresponds to data communication over voice.
    • It must only allow calls to be received. It must not allow calls to be made.
    • No active PIN, i.e. SIM card without PIN.
    • M2M (Machine to Machine) type card. Must allow OTA (Over The Air technology) and STK (SIM ToolKit) commands.
    • Must have a minimum capacity of 250MB.


    If you are replacing the GSM card in your meter and would like to carry out a communications test, you can request this via the online form in the Contacte Us area.

    Don't forget that you'll also have to enter your GSM card details on the DGEG portal. Filling in these details correctly is essential to ensure that you can sell the surplus in the future, as this sale is pending the integration of the meter into the E-REDES system.

    See the list of totalising meters approved for self-consumption.

  3. Equipment through which the producer (or the prosumer) stores excess energy for later use, if they do not wish to inject and/or sell it.

  4. Installations with an installed power of more than 250kW must be equipped with interconnection/homopolar protections for connection to the grid. These protections will ensure fast, effective and automatic separation from the electricity distribution network, as well as providing the function of homopolar maximum voltage protection.

    Find out more about production units for Self-Consumption with connection power >250 kW.

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How does energy sharing work in Self-Consumption?

What is the sharing coefficient?
The sharing coefficients are percentages that indicate how the produced energy is distributed among the members of the community. Each participant's sharing coefficient is predefined at the time of registration and is proportional to their consumption. After the community is certified and operational, the EGAC can adjust the Sharing Coefficient.

Changing the sharing coefficient
If the EGAC wishes to change the predefined sharing coefficient, it must notify E-REDES through the reserved area for the Self-Consumption Manager.

Find out more on this page.

What types of sharing coefficients exist?

Fixed Coefficients
Predefined percentages that remain in effect throughout the year to which they refer.
Proportional Coefficients
Percentages that vary based on each member's actual consumption relative to the total consumption of the entire community.
Hierarchical Coefficients
Percentages calculated in two phases: In the 1st phase, sharing is done within each subgroup defined by the EGAC, and in the 2nd phase, any surplus from each subgroup is shared among the remaining community members.
Dynamic Coefficients
Percentages defined by the EGAC only after knowing what was produced and consumed by the different members.
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Pilot project on self-consumption energy sharing models

A Pilot Project is underway in which we are studying energy sharing with hierarchical and dynamic coefficients.

Know more
How does E-REDES provide data?

It is the responsibility of the Distribution Network Operator (Operador da Rede de Distribuição - ORD) to ensure commercial relationships as defined by the regulations of the electrical system's regulatory body, as well as to collect, process, and provide data related to self-consumption.

The ORD is also responsible for calculating the energy to be shared among the associated consumption or self-consumption installations and issuing invoices in accordance with the applicable legislation and regulations.

For more information, consult Regulation No. 373/2021 | DR (diariodarepublica.pt).

How to manage your daily self-consumption on the Digital Counter

1. Start by logging in. Once you are in the Digital Counter, choose the “Os meus locais” (“My locations”) option;

How to manage your daily self-consumption on the Digital Counter

2. Then select "Produção, consumos e potências", which translates to “Production, consumption, and power”;

How to manage your daily self-consumption on the Digital Counter

3. Then select “Consultar histórico” (View history);

How to manage your daily self-consumption on the Digital Counter

4. Next, you must select the place of consumption you wish to consult;

How to manage your daily self-consumption on the Digital Counter

5. You then access the Diagrama de Cargas, which translates to Load Diagram, where you can visualise your data on:

  • Consumo registado (Registered consumption);
  • Produção registada (Registered production);
  • Consumo medido na IC (Consumption measured at the Consumption Facility);
  • Injeção na rede medida na IC (Injection into the network measured at the Consumption Facility). 
Learn how the consumption/injection values are calculated in an energy community

Energy sharing is calculated based on the model defined by the EGAC for determining the sharing coefficients.

Download example
Still having doubts?

Find the answers to your questions on our frequently asked questions page.

See frequently asked questions