Crowdfunding can bring important social and environmental impacts at breathtaking speeds. This fact was recently demonstrated by the Citizenergy featured Fundação Irene Rolo project. The project funded solar panels for the rooftop of the Fundação Irene Rolo charity located in the town of Tavira in Portugal's Algarve region. Within a week, €51,850 was raised via loan-based crowdfunding. The panels funded will produce an estimated 82,000 kWh of electricity annually - thus avoiding the emission of some 52.5 tonnes of CO2 every year.

The project was brought to Citizenergy by Coopérnico, Portugal's first renewable energy cooperative, and is Coopérnico's eigth such project. In the scheme, Coopérnico crowdfunds the installation of solar panels and pays investors back annually out of proceeds from the sale of the energy produced. The charitable organsiations benefit from a steady income by renting their roofs to Coopérnico.

Go to project