ENNO – Energias do Norte: Largest Renewable Energy Community in Portugal has been established

Last 16th of may, at the Salão Nobre of the Vila do Conde Municipal Youth Centre, the official notarial deed was signed to establish ENNO – Energias do Norte, a Renewable Energy Community (CER) promoted by LIPOR and its Associated Municipalities. This new private law association, created under Article 189 of Decree-Law No. 15/2022, marks the beginning of a new model for the production, sharing, and consumption of renewable energy derived from waste-to-energy processes. It is now officially the largest energy community in Portugal.

ENNO is constituted by 28 founding entities, including 7 of LIPOR’s 8 associated municipalities (Gondomar, Maia, Matosinhos, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Valongo, and Vila do Conde); the municipalities of Paredes, Santo Tirso, and Trofa; and a variety of municipal companies and institutions, such as Ágora – Cultura e Desporto do Porto, Águas e Energia do Porto, Domus Social, Espaço Municipal, Maiambiente, Matosinhos Habit, Matosinhos Sport, Porto Ambiente, Porto Vivo SRU, STCP, and Varzim Lazer. Other founding members include APDL – Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões e Viana do Castelo, the Casa da Arquitetura, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João, ISEP – Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, the Northern Regional Section of the Ordem dos Arquitetos, Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Porto, and LIPOR itself.

The signing ceremony was followed by brief speaches from Sara Lobão, Vice-President of the Vila do Conde Municipal Council, speaking on behalf of the Mayor and as the host of the event; José Manuel Ribeiro, Chairman of LIPOR’s Board of Directors; and Paulo Carmona, General Director for Energy and Geology.

LIPOR’s Chairman, José Manuel Ribeiro, emphasised: "With ENNO, we will not only share electricity but will also prioritise the development of an urgent and innovative program to combat energy poverty.”

Immediately following the signing of the deed, the first General Assembly of ENNO was held, during which its governing bodies were elected: Matosinhos Municipality was elected President of the Board of Directors; Póvoa de Varzim Municipality was elected President of the General Assembly Board; Vila do Conde Municipality was elected President of the Fiscal Council. ENNO’s headquarters will be located at Casa do Corim in Maia, a facility managed by LIPOR. Technical and operational support will be provided by LIPOR and the Porto Energy Agency, which will establish a dedicated structure for the project.

ENNO will enable more efficient use of renewable energy generated from waste valorisation, offering tariff stability, reduced energy costs, and a sustainable model for resource management. Members will benefit from competitively priced energy with reduced exposure to price volatility in the open market, while advancing goals for carbon neutrality and energy poverty reduction. The circular economy framework that has long been a core part of LIPOR’s waste-to-energy initiative is now consolidated and amplified with the formation of ENNO – Energias do Norte.

ENNO stands as a model of collaborative innovation between the public and institutional sectors, promoting a new energy paradigm based on circular economy principles, decentralisation, and shared responsibility. Its creation reinforces the commitment of LIPOR and its partners to sustainability and leadership in Portugal’s energy transition.