Svetsolar

New Svetsolar service

Collective Self-Consumption

We connect people with spare solar energy to people who want to buy it

Many solar panels produce more than their building uses and hand the surplus to the grid for next to nothing. With collective self-consumption, that energy is sold to the neighbours: buyers pay about 20% less, sellers earn more. No panels on the buyer’s building and no investment.

I want to buy solar energy I have surplus to sell

Updated on , in line with Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026 and Despacho n.º 4411-A/2026.

In short

  • ●Collective self-consumption (autoconsumo coletivo, ACC) lets several nearby consumers share the energy from one or more solar installations through the public grid (Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, as amended by Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026).
  • ●Buyers need no panels and do not have to change electricity supplier, and as a rule pay about 20% less for the shared solar energy.
  • ●Sellers earn more for their surplus than by selling it to the grid.
  • ●Proximity: 2 km at low voltage, 4 km at medium, 10 km at high and 20 km at very high voltage — or any distance if connected to the same substation.
  • ●100% exemption from CIEG charges for 7 years on the shared energy, for projects that obtain their operating conditions between 2026 and 2029 (Despacho n.º 4411-A/2026).
  • ●Every collective self-consumption scheme has a managing entity (EGAC); E-REDES allocates the energy in 15-minute intervals.

How the new service works

Three parties, one local solar energy community.

Buyers

Solar energy about 20% cheaper

Restaurants, shops, gyms, workshops and homes near a producer. If you pay €0.15/kWh, you pay about €0.12/kWh (excl. VAT) for the solar energy you use during the day — weekends included.

Sellers

More for your surplus than the grid pays

Businesses and homes with panels that produce more than they use — especially on Saturdays and Sundays. Instead of handing the surplus to the grid for a few cents, they sell it to their neighbours. No investment.

Svetsolar

We connect both sides and handle everything

We find buyers in the area, register the project with the DGEG and E-REDES, take on the management role (EGAC), measure the shared energy every 15 minutes and invoice every month.

First collective schemes being set up

Leiria (Pousos industrial area) and Palmela (Quinta do Anjo and Quinta do Conde). Places depend on the energy available in each area, so we give priority to whoever replies first.

Check my address

Check your area

We use public data from the distribution grid (E-REDES Open Data) for an instant pre-assessment.

What collective self-consumption is

Collective self-consumption (autoconsumo coletivo, ACC) is the legal regime that lets several nearby consumers share the energy produced by one or more renewable installations — usually solar panels on a roof — using the public grid. It is set out in Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, revised by Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026, in force since 28 August 2026.

Each participant keeps their own meter and their own supplier. E-REDES reads the meters every 15 minutes and allocates each one their share of the energy produced, according to the sharing coefficients. The shared energy is invoiced separately; the rest of your consumption stays on your usual bill.

Every collective self-consumption scheme has a managing entity (EGAC), which represents the participants before the DGEG and E-REDES, approves the internal rules and sets the sharing rules. In the projects we organise, Svetsolar takes on that role.

The model is growing fast: in July 2026 there were 2,110 collective self-consumption schemes and energy communities on the E-REDES grid, compared with 431 a year earlier (E-REDES Open Data).

Who can take part: distance rules

The maximum distance between participants depends on the voltage level the production installation is connected to (article 83 of Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, as worded by Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026).

Maximum distance in collective self-consumption by voltage level
Voltage level of productionExamplesMaximum distance
Low voltage (BT) homes, shops, restaurants, small businesses 2 km
Medium voltage (MT) factories, warehouses, large stores 4 km
High voltage (AT) large industry 10 km
Very high voltage (MAT) large power plants 20 km
  • ✓ Same substation: anyone connected to the same substation as the production installation can take part at any distance.
  • ✓ Low-density territories: the law provides for the distances to be doubled; the ordinance (portaria) identifying those territories has not yet been published.
  • ✓ The final check is made by E-REDES and the collective self-consumption is licensed by the DGEG (DGEG FAQ on article 83, in Portuguese).

Benefits and CIEG exemption

CIEG (energy policy, sustainability and general economic interest costs) are the part of the grid access tariff that pays for energy policy, not for the cables. Despacho n.º 4411-A/2026, of 2 April, exempts 100% of these costs on self-consumed energy carried over the public grid:

  • ✓ Who: individual self-consumption, collective self-consumption and renewable energy community projects.
  • ✓ How long: 7 years from the start of the project’s operation.
  • ✓ Condition: obtaining the operating conditions between 2026 and 2029.
  • ✓ Which energy: only energy shared through the grid; surplus sold to the grid is not exempt.
  • ✓ How: the DGEG checks eligibility and ERSE applies the corresponding access tariff.

In practice, the grid cost of shared energy falls several times over:

Grid access tariff for shared energy, €/kWh excl. VAT. Production installation at medium voltage. Source: ERSE, Tarifas e Preços 2026 (Tables 3-27, 3-39 and 3-41).
ConsumerNormal gridACC without exemptionACC with exemption
BTN simple tariff (shops, cafés, homes) 0.0607 0.0499 0.0200
BTE, standard-hours period (small industry) 0.0353 0.0331 0.0082
MT, standard-hours period (industry) 0.0182 0.0161 0.0032

The 2026 tariffs with the exemption were published for projects already covered; the figures for projects under the new despacho are applied by ERSE after the DGEG’s check.

Other advantages

  • ✓ No investment for buyers: no panels, no building work and no joining fee.
  • ✓ Keep your supplier for the rest of your consumption.
  • ✓ Easy to join and leave: Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026 made it easier for participants to join and leave.
  • ✓ Condominiums: Lei n.º 29/2026 allows panels to be approved by simple majority and created the CAER contract, for letting roofs to producers.

How to join, step by step

1

Check your area

Enter your address and see how likely a match is, using public E-REDES grid data.

2

Send your bill

With your latest electricity bill we calculate the buyer’s savings or the seller’s extra earnings.

3

We set up the scheme

We bring together one or more producers and the compatible consumers, and prepare the internal rules and the DGEG registration.

4

Shared energy

E-REDES allocates the energy in 15-minute intervals; the buyer saves and the seller gets paid every month.

For buyers

  • ✓ Local solar energy about 20% below your current tariff — for example: €0.15 → €0.12/kWh (excl. VAT)
  • ✓ No building work, no panels and no investment — you don’t even need your landlord’s permission
  • ✓ Keep your supplier for the rest of your consumption
  • ✓ No joining fee or monthly fee; leave whenever you like

For sellers

  • ✓ Earn more for your surplus than the classic sale to the grid
  • ✓ Ideal for businesses left with spare energy at weekends
  • ✓ Svetsolar handles the paperwork (DGEG, EGAC, E-REDES) and the invoicing
  • ✓ Already a Svetsolar customer? We know your real surplus from the monitoring

No panels yet? See individual self-consumption, our business solutions or run a simulation in the calculator.

Law and official sources

  • Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, of 14 January

    The National Electricity System regime. It defines collective self-consumption, the managing entity and the proximity rules (article 83).

    Source: Diário da República

  • Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026, of 29 June

    Revises the self-consumption and energy community regime: a mandatory EGAC, and simpler joining and leaving for participants. In force since 28 August 2026.

    Source: Diário da República

  • Despacho n.º 4411-A/2026, of 2 April

    Full exemption from CIEG charges on self-consumed energy that uses the public grid, for 7 years, for projects that obtain their operating conditions between 2026 and 2029.

    Source: Poupa Energia (ADENE)

  • Lei n.º 29/2026, of 23 June

    Creates the renewable energy use contract (CAER) and allows self-consumption units in condominiums to be approved by simple majority. In force since 1 July 2026.

    Source: Diário da República

Official bodies and technical documents (in Portuguese)

This page summarises the legislation to help you decide; it is not a substitute for legal advice. Final eligibility of each participant and each project is confirmed by E-REDES, the DGEG and ERSE.

Collective self-consumption FAQ

What is collective self-consumption?
It is a legal model in Portugal (Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, as worded by Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026) in which one or more renewable production installations share the energy they produce with nearby consumers, through the public grid. Buyers pay less than they pay their supplier; sellers earn more than by selling their surplus to the grid.
What is the difference between collective self-consumption and a renewable energy community (CER)?
A renewable energy community is a legal entity, with open and voluntary membership, that can produce, consume, store and sell energy. Collective self-consumption does not create a new legal entity: it is a group of nearby self-consumers sharing energy, organised by a managing entity (EGAC) and internal rules.
Do I need to install panels to take part?
No. As a buyer you only need an active electricity contract (your CPE). The energy arrives through the normal grid — nothing changes in your building, and you do not need permission from your landlord or the condominium.
How much does the energy cost for buyers?
As a rule, about 20% below the price you pay the grid today for the energy you use during the day. For example, if you pay €0.15/kWh, you pay about €0.12/kWh (excl. VAT). The exact figure depends on your bill and your area, and is set out in writing in the proposal before you join. There is no joining fee or monthly fee: you only pay for the solar energy you use.
And how much do sellers earn?
More than they get today from selling their surplus to the grid — many businesses hand it over for a few cents per kWh, or for nothing at all. The seller invests nothing: Svetsolar finds the buyers, handles the registration and invoicing, and pays them every month.
Who can take part, and how far away?
The maximum distance depends on the voltage level of the production installation: 2 km at low voltage, 4 km at medium voltage, 10 km at high voltage and 20 km at very high voltage (article 83 of Decreto-Lei n.º 15/2022, as worded by Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026, in force since 28 August 2026). Alternatively, anyone connected to the same substation as the production installation can take part at any distance. The check is made by E-REDES and the collective self-consumption is licensed by the DGEG.
Why do some people say 2 km and others 4 km?
At low voltage the basic rule is 2 km. The 4 km figure comes up in two different cases: it is the basic limit for medium voltage (industrial installations), and at low voltage it results from the doubling provided for low-density territories. The ordinance (portaria) identifying those territories for energy purposes has not yet been published, so we treat that doubling as a possibility to be confirmed, never as a guarantee.
Is collective self-consumption exempt from CIEG?
Yes. Despacho n.º 4411-A/2026, of 2 April, exempts 100% of CIEG charges (energy policy, sustainability and general economic interest costs) on self-consumed energy carried over the public grid, for 7 years from the start of operation, for individual and collective self-consumption projects and energy communities that obtain their operating conditions between 2026 and 2029. The exemption applies to shared energy, not to surplus sold to the grid. The DGEG checks eligibility and ERSE applies the corresponding tariff.
Do I have to change electricity supplier?
No. You keep your current contract for the rest of your consumption. The shared solar energy is invoiced separately every month, and you can leave whenever you like — Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026 made joining and leaving simpler.
How is the energy shared out?
E-REDES allocates the energy produced among the participants in 15-minute intervals, according to sharing coefficients set at registration. Only energy used in the same interval in which it was produced counts. The managing entity can change the coefficients by notifying E-REDES.
What is the EGAC and who takes it on?
The collective self-consumption managing entity (EGAC) represents the participants before the DGEG and E-REDES, approves the internal rules and sets the sharing rules. Under Decreto-Lei n.º 130/2026, every collective self-consumption scheme must have one. In the projects we organise, Svetsolar takes on that role.
I rent my premises or live in a condominium. Can I take part?
Yes, as a buyer: the energy arrives through the grid and nothing needs to be installed in the building. If the goal is to install panels in a condominium, Lei n.º 29/2026 allows this to be approved by a simple majority of owners when there are at least two units.
What is the CPE and where do I find it?
The CPE (Código de Ponto de Entrega) identifies your meter. It is on your electricity bill and starts with PT0002. You do not need it to view the map or to register — only at the formal joining stage, and at that point we ask for it on WhatsApp.
I received an email from Svetsolar about this. What should I do?
Just reply to that email with a photo or PDF of your latest electricity bill. We will send you the savings calculation within two working days, with no commitment. You can also check your address on this page.
Who handles the paperwork?
Svetsolar organises the process: it groups participants, prepares the internal rules and registers the collective self-consumption with the DGEG, takes on the management role (EGAC), measures the shared energy with E-REDES data and invoices every month. Final certification is always carried out by the official bodies.

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