AGENEAL, the Local Energy Management Agency of Almada, is a private, non-profit association, created in March 1999, with the support of the SAVE Programme and the Municipality of Almada. AGENEAL has 16 partners in the energy sector, amongst the most important actors at both local and national levels. The area of influence is covered by the Municipal Council of Almada, corresponding to an area of 70.2 Km2, with some 160 825 inhabitants. Almada is located in the south bank of the Tagus River, opposite to Lisbon.

 

AGENEAL insures the participation of Almada in the European network Energie-Cités and is also member of the ECEEE – European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Nowadays, the agency areas of activity cover energy efficiency in buildings, implementation of renewable energy systems, sustainable urban planning, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency in transports, and other energy efficiency in public equipment (street lighting, traffic lighting, etc.). The type of activity developed is suited to the objectives pursued by each project, which can be consultancy, awareness campaigns, advice on decision making, lobby, partnership in pilot projects, etc.

However, the main goal of AGENEAL is the implementation of a sustainable energy policy in Almada, acting at a local level to improve energy efficiency in all sectors, to increase the market penetration of renewable energy sources, thereby to reduce dependence on environmentally damaging fossil fuels. Additionally, AGENEAL carries out several actions concerning energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in the built environment, for the execution of Almada City Council’s “Yearly Energy Action Plan”.

 

AGENEAL has already acquired a significant experience in the work with schools and in awareness raising actions, both in schools and with the general public. AGENEAL works in close coordination with both the Municipal Department in charge of schools and the Municipal Environmental Awareness Raising and Education Division, cooperating in the definition of actions to be carried out with the local school community, such as dissemination activities in the field of renewable energies, mobility and others.
In terms of European Projects developed in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in the built environment, AGENEAL has taken part in projects with a strong dissemination component, sometimes in cooperation with the City Council of Almada, such as:
DISPLAY, European Municipal Buildings Climate Campaign (DG ENV/ TREN) - http://www.display-campaign.org/ ; EMAS LAB, Eco-Management Audit Scheme for Local Authorities environmental Benchmarking (LIFE) - http://www.m-almada.pt/emas-lab/ (Municipality of Almada); ENLIGHT, Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting in Urban Areas (Save) – www.eu- enlight.org ; BELIEF, Building in Europe Local Intelligent Energy Forums (IEE) – http://www.belief- europe.org ; E-STREET, Intelligent Road and Street Lighting in Europe (IEE) - www.e- streetlight.com ; ECO N’HOME, Helping you Reduce your Energy Costs (IEE) - www.econhome.net

AGENEAL is a company (service provider) in energy efficiency and ICT solutions able to maintain the services and with commercial interest in the developed solutions. They are already providers of public partners capable of continuing offering the services after the end of the pilots. En each city, for each pilot and replication, there are a tandem of public partners and service providers, in this case AGENEAL will implement the Pilot L2 in street lighting in the Municipality of Almada in Portugal.