On 2 and 3 July, the project partners met in person in Faro (Portugal), at the facilities of the Higher Institute of Engineering of the University of the Algarve, the host of the event. During the meeting, the technical progress achieved in this first phase of the project was reviewed, the main challenges were discussed and the next milestones for the following months of implementation were planned.

The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the work carried out to date on the figure of the prosumer, the promotion of energy communities and the deployment of digital solutions for energy management. It also addressed the coordination of key events and collaboration between partners to maximise the impact of the project.

On behalf of CTA, the project meeting was attended by Marta González, Communication technician, and Germán López, technical manager of the energy sector.

AGERAR PLUS presents its progress at INCREaSE 2025

In parallel to the meeting, the consortium participated in the international congress INCREaSE 2025 (INternational CongRess on Engineering and Sustainability in the XXI cEntury), a reference forum on sustainability and technological innovation held in Faro from 1 to 4 July.

The project coordinator, Ascensión Zafra, presented the main advances in a thematic session held on 2 July, aimed at public administrations, companies in the sector and end users. This activity is part of the project’s work plan as an ‘Intermediate Workshop’ aimed at disseminating results and promoting dialogue with key players in the energy ecosystem.

The participation in INCREaSE 2025 was a key opportunity to reinforce the visibility of the project, share knowledge and establish new synergies with academic and industrial agents in Europe.

Technical visit to Culatra Island: island energy transition model

The second day of the meeting included a technical visit to Culatra Island in the Portuguese Algarve, recognised as an example of a self-sufficient and resilient energy community. During the visit, the project partners learned first-hand about the pilot installed on this island community, which combines renewable generation, energy storage and smart management systems.

The system, consisting of five photovoltaic units with a total capacity of 85.8 kWp, supplies clean energy to homes, small businesses, educational and health centres and other local services. Its real-time operation and analysis is possible thanks to a control system developed by the University of the Algarve and the Technological Institute of Galicia (ITG), which optimises energy use and improves system efficiency.

In addition to its technological component, the pilot stands out for the active involvement of citizens in the energy transition process. Through awareness-raising and education campaigns, it promotes responsible consumption and strengthens the sense of belonging and neighbourhood collaboration.

About AGERAR PLUS

AGERAR PLUS is a continuation of the AGERAR and AGERAR II projects and aims to consolidate a common scientific and technological framework between Spain and Portugal for the development and validation of advanced energy solutions. The new stage of the project focuses on the validation of technologies in real environments, such as Culatra Island, contributing to the creation of resilient energy communities, the promotion of prosumerism and cross-border cooperation in energy matters.