The Next Energy Revolution Could Be on the Rooftops!

These are important infrastructures for the transformation of the national energy system, but there is an opportunity that continues to deserve greater attention: the use of the roofs of the buildings we have already built. In a country with favourable solar conditions and an extensive network of industrial, commercial, agricultural and logistical facilities, the next stage of solar energy growth may also involve making better use of existing spaces, bringing production closer to the places where electricity is consumed.

Over the last few decades, Portugal has developed numerous industrial zones, business parks, logistics centres and large shopping areas. Many of these buildings have considerable roofs that could, when technically adequate, accommodate photovoltaic systems. The advantage of this solution is not only in the production of renewable electricity. It is also in the possibility of reducing the need to occupy new land, taking advantage of existing infrastructure, and allowing companies to produce part of the energy needed for their activity. For an industrial unit with significant consumption during the day, self-consumption can represent an opportunity to reduce exposure to market prices and improve the predictability of a portion of its operating costs.

Of course, not all roofs are suitable, and not all projects have the same profitability. The structural capacity of the buildings, the solar orientation, the state of the electrical installations, the consumption profiles and the investment costs are determining factors. But that is precisely why I consider it important to stop looking at self-consumption only as an individual decision of each company and start integrating it into the planning of business areas. A modern industrial area should be thought of not only in terms of road access, telecommunications or land availability, but also in terms of its ability to produce, manage and use energy efficiently.

There is also an interesting opportunity in collective self-consumption models and energy communities. Under certain conditions, companies located in the same business area can benefit from shared energy production and management solutions. A unit with an extensive available coverage may have a production profile different from the consumption needs of a neighbouring company. The possibility of organising these complementarities, respecting the applicable technical and regulatory rules, may contribute to improving the use of the electricity produced. The integration of monitoring systems, intelligent management of consumption and, when economically justifiable, storage, may reinforce these advantages.

This transformation also raises the question of economic and territorial policy. Municipalities and entities responsible for the management of business parks should start to assess the energy potential of existing areas and incorporate this dimension into new economic development projects. The modernisation of industrial areas can include not only better access and digital infrastructure, but also energy efficiency solutions, decentralised production and coordinated consumption management. At the same time, it is necessary to simplify procedures, improve the available information and create conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises to be able to evaluate investments that, individually, can represent a significant financial effort.

Portugal needs to continue to invest in renewable production, electricity grids and storage capacity. But we must not forget that part of the energy transition can happen on infrastructures that already exist and that we have not yet fully exploited. The smart use of industrial and commercial roofs will not solve all the challenges of the electricity system by itself, but it can contribute to reducing business costs, valuing built heritage and reducing pressure on certain land. The next Portuguese energy revolution may not depend only on new large projects. It may also start on the roofs of the companies that make our economy run every day.