GOING GREEN

It’s week twelve of the Portugal News’ “Going Green” series…

 

… As a responsible thriving renewables company, we’re increasing efforts in awareness. Not just for our solutions, but the local and regional Algarve environment.

 

Game-changers

 

2020 will be remembered for two challenges: global warming and Coronavirus. Reduction of travel helped reduce air pollution and warming gases. Lock-downs kept people at home. Watching news channels, reading newspapers and trawling the internet have given time to reflect on the planet’s health.

 

Re-thinking

 

What our impact is on our immediate and local environment is important. More people are recycling, re-using and reducing. Others are investigating eco-friendly ways of construction and renovation. Perhaps working closely with a specialist architect and designing with “green” and “sustainability” at forefront. Going green is a behavioural change.

 

Eco-Villages, Permaculture & Low Impact Building

 

There are over a 100 Eco-Villages in 30 countries across Europe. But the network lists nearer 500 self-identified settlements round the world.  All strive to produce the least impact on their natural environment. Over 30 years ago a collective of pioneering French ecologists settled to live in accordance with permaculture at Terramada, near the Spanish border in southern Portugal.

 

Permaculture is a set of principles centered on creating harmonious ways of living. It’s a practical method of developing efficient, productive systems that can be used by anyone, anywhere. It covers design, ecological engineering, regenerative design, environmental design, and construction.

 

The renowned Tamera community relocated to Alentejo from Germany in 1995. Their 200 hectare site is an oasis. Lakes, greenery and their eco-system captures rainwater. Tamerians also solved one of Portugal’s major problems: forest fires due to eucalyptus monoculture, which burn very easily during the summer due to increased temperatures and excessive consumption of groundwater. Tamera produces a multitude of vegetables and fresh fruits and is self-sufficient in water.

 

Eco-villages are also raising awareness. More people want to adopt and increase sustainable measures. And they want to see Governments get further engaged. One aspect very important to the Algarve and Alentejo is water-retention. Desertification is a huge ongoing threat. Over a third of Spain is affected. Rivers are drying up.

 

Technology has and will continue play a huge part in changing the way everyone lives. Resources are finite. Eco-Villages would not be able to function so well, without any solar power and water purification.

 

Insofar as building is concerned, keeping in line with the environment has been achieved by using a concept known as “Domespaces” – revolving houses with solar roof panels! Low-impact construction has started to become popular. Factor making clay bricks, using straw-bales and recycled or harvested timber are all commendable. And they’re kinder on our environment. It’s all about reducing footprint.

 

A good architect can really help you make better informed decisions for your new-build or renovation. Perhaps you’ll take a close look at “GREEN CONSTRUCTION”. Low impact building, local design and manufacturing can deliver affordable solutions. And a property full of renewables to be kinder on the planet.

 

 

PORTUGAL RENEWABLE NEWS

Portuguese renewable power company Finerge Group has closed a EUR-150-million finance round with four banks to acquire solar parks in Portugal and Spain. Financing was obtained from Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc and Spanish lenders BBVA SA, Banco Santander SA and Bankinter SA, Finerge quoted in a statement. In 2020 the renewables firm acquired 47.6 MW of Portuguese photovoltaic (PV) farms from UK fund manager Glennmont Partners and Luxembourg-based company, Luxbon Solar SA.

 

https://renewablesnow.com/news/finerge-agrees-eur-150m-in-financing-for-solar-buys-in-iberia-720899/

 

PORTUGAL SUSTAINABLE & RENEWABLE FACTS

• Portugal was 13th to submit its long-term strategy for low-emission development to the United Nations

• Portugal intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050

• Portugal’s power was 60% renewable between January – July 2020

• Year-to-date Portugal’s electricity demand has fallen 5%

• In July alone, renewables supplied 35% of the country’s power

• Wind energy alone created 23%

 

http://vegansustainability.com/articles/vegoa-a-vegan-off-grid-community-in-portugal/

 

https://www.workaway.info/en/host/179332496862

 

https://eco-villages.eu/en/tag/portugal-en/

 

https://www.permaculture.co.uk/what-is-permaculture

 

http://terramadaecoaldea.blogspot.com/

 

https://www.sunseed.org.uk/