The Municipality of Almada, Portugal, has completed its tailored technical assistance under the Smart Cities Marketplace, marking an important step towards a more structured and effective approach to renewable energy communities and energy efficiency at the local level.
Following its participation in the 1‑on‑1 consultancy programme, Almada worked closely with Smart Cities Marketplace experts to strengthen its internal capacity and prepare for the implementation of solar PV self-consumption projects and energy efficiency measures across its municipal building stock.
The technical assistance addressed key challenges related to the complexity of public procurement procedures, the need for robust contractual and technical frameworks for renewable energy communities, and limited tools for assessing the financial viability of energy efficiency investments. Through a combination of technical guidance, document development and capacity building, the municipality was supported in moving from a preparatory phase to a more implementation-oriented approach.
A central focus of the support was the preparation and refinement of procurement documentation for solar photovoltaic projects under self-consumption and energy community schemes. Detailed templates and technical specifications were developed to ensure clearer allocation of responsibilities, stronger performance guarantees and improved comparability of bids. This will enable the municipality to launch projects with greater confidence, reducing risks during both procurement and long-term operation
At the organisational level, the technical assistance contributed to structuring the implementation of renewable energy communities and collective self-consumption models. This included clarifying governance arrangements, stakeholder roles and operational requirements such as monitoring, data management and reporting. By strengthening these foundations, Almada is now better equipped to ensure transparency, coordination and long-term performance in shared energy systems.
The support also resulted in the development of a practical financial simulation tool tailored to municipal needs. The Excel-based tool allows the municipality to assess and compare different investment scenarios for energy efficiency in public buildings, including self-financed investments, debt financing and Energy Service Company (ESCO) models under the Eco.AP framework. This provides a solid basis for evidence-based decision-making and supports the prioritisation of projects with the highest impact.
Overall, the Smart Cities Marketplace technical assistance has enabled Almada to move from an initial preparation phase to a more structured and actionable framework for both renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency planning. With improved procurement processes, clearer governance models and strengthened financial planning capacity, the municipality is now well positioned to proceed with pilot projects and scale up its activities.