Collective Self-consumption

Self-consumption is consumption ensured by electricity produced by Self-Consumption Production Units (UPAC) and carried out by one or more self-consumers of renewable energy. 

Collective Self-Consumption consists of a group of self-consumers organised in condominiums of buildings in horizontal property regime or not, or a group of self-consumers located in the same building or area of apartments/houses, industrial, commercial or agricultural units, and other infrastructures located in a delimited area, in a close neighbourhood relationship, which have ACUs and share the energy produced among them.

The collective self-consumption model is based on the association of nearby consumers and production units to share energy. To be designated by its members, the Self-Consumption Management Entity (EGAC) represents collective self-consumption to operators and administrative entities.

The regulation makes the EGAC responsible for the relationship with the Distribution Network Operator to manage energy sharing and make production data available, as well as for the relationship with the aggregator to sell the surplus of collective self-consumption.

Consult the regulation on collective self-consumption here.

Decree-Law no. 15/2022, of January 14, which establishes the organization and operation of the National Electricity System, incorporated the provisions regarding renewable self-consumption (and revoked Decree-Law no. 162/2019, of October 25).

Decree-Law No. 15/2022 provides for the Collective Self-Consumption Regulation, covering matters such as the commercial relationship between the entities involved, the measurement, reading and availability of data, the modes of energy sharing between self-consumers or the application of regulated tariffs and prices.

Consult the regulation on collective self-consumption here.

Renewable Energy Community - a legal entity incorporated pursuant to this Decree Law, whether for profit or not, based on an open and voluntary adhesion of its members, partners or shareholders, which may be natural or legal persons, of public or private nature, including, namely, small and medium-sized enterprises or local authorities, which is autonomous from its members or partners, but effectively controlled by them, provided that and cumulatively: 

(a) The members or participants are located in the vicinity of the renewable energy projects or carry out activities related to the renewable energy projects of the respective energy community; 

(b) the said projects are owned and operated by the said legal person; 

(c) the main objective of the legal person is to provide environmental, economic and social benefits to the members or localities where the community operates, rather than financial gain.

The distinction between Collective Self-consumption (Autoconsumo Coletivo/EGAC) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) is related to the definition of its Managing Entity, specifically: 

1. Collective Self-consumption - the Collective Self-consumption Managing Entity (EGAC), is the entity, natural or collective, designated to manage the Collective; 
2. CER - A collective person, profit or non-profit, designated to manage the CER. 

The DSO is responsible for ensuring the commercial relationships set out in the Electricity System Regulatory Authority Regulations, as well as for collecting, processing and providing data associated with self-consumption. 

The DSO is also responsible for calculating the energy to be shared by the Consumption Facility or Associated Self-Consumption Facility in self-consumption, making the invoices that are applicable in the scope of the legislation and regulations. 

To start a Collective Self-consumption process, the Customer must first register on the DGEG portal. As regards the connection process to the Public Service Electricity Grid (How can I connect a Collective Self-consumption to the grid? RESP), the Collective Self-consumption process follows the same procedures as for Individual Self-consumption. Learn more by visiting the Individual Self-consumption page.

The general conditions for contracts for grid use for self-consumption through the RESP were approved through Directive no. 12/2022, of May 19th, published in Diário da República.

In the case of energy sharing within a collective self-consumption, the consumption measured on the meter of the user installation no longer corresponds to the consumption supplied by the Supplier, as the energy shared by self-consumption must be deducted. On the other hand, if the Self-Consumption Production Unit (UPAC) is interconnected with the consumption installation through the public network, network access tariffs will be charged on the value of shared energy (self-consumption through the RESP). This charge is made by the Distribution Network Operator to the Self-Consumption Managing Entity (EGAC).