Fábio Pereira is currently the project manager of E5DES project at AREAM. He holds a university degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Energy and Environment.
Since 2009, he has carried out his professional activity in the following areas: energy efficiency, renewable energy and the environment, namely the implementation and monitoring of projects in the fields of energy, research, technical support in the preparation of applications and energy audits of buildings and transport fleets, development and promotion of renewable energy, training sessions, information and awareness-raising campaigns on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy and development of materials for information and awareness-raising activities.
What is the mission of AREAM and what are the activities developed?
AREAM was founded in 1993 and is a private, non-profit making association recognized with public interest. Its mission is to contribute to improve knowledge regarding energy and the environment, disseminate information and promote a conscientious participation of citizens and organizations in the process of sustainable development, verified in the following activities:
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- Collaboration with the Regional Government of Madeira, Municipalities and stakeholders in the planning and definition of regional policies in the fields of energy, environment, and climate change, amongst others, including studying solutions, inter-regional cooperation and communication between national and community institutions.
- Actions in the energy efficiency domain, particularly in the residential sector, hotel trade and public services, including studies, innovation projects and rendering of services. Concerning energy efficiency in buildings, AREAM’s role should be highlighted in the launching and implementation of the Energy Performance Certification of Buildings System (EPC) in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
- Various activities carried out to promote the use of renewable energy, assess available resources in Madeira and in Porto Santo islands and study solutions to overcome existing technical and non-technical barriers.
- Studies and actions carried out, particularly on transport technologies and sustainable mobility solutions, including the promotion of the use of public transport, electric mobility, and soft modes.
- Actions on sustainable use of water, reuse of wastewater and waste management, highlighting energy recovery and management of packaging and waste packaging.
- Studies carried out to evaluate energy resources in the ocean, namely wave energy, having promoted the elaboration of the wave atlas, available online.
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AREAM is a partner in the E5DES project. What are the principal tasks of AREAM in the project?
In the E5DES project, AREAM will participate mainly in the activity related with the development of the “Study on the sizing of the photovoltaic solar system to be implemented in the desalination plant of Porto Santo”.
With this activity, we intend to carry out a technical, economic and environmental feasibility analysis on the installation of photovoltaic panels in this desalination plant of Porto Santo, evaluating various scenarios, namely system sizing for own consumption at the plant and on available land with and without batteries, as well as the possibility of injecting electrical energy into the grid. We also intend to evaluate the following: indicators related to the energy and environmental sustainability of the desalination plant; the most efficient PV technologies on the market; good practices and energy management planning; legislation for own consumption of energy; available financial instruments and we will provide, if necessary technical support for the preparation of the tender specifications to implement through contracts with ESCOs.
How could AREAM increase the visibility of the DESAL+ LIVING LAB in the Atlantic area?
As AREAM’s mission to contribute to improve knowledge in the energy and environmental domains in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, AREAM aims to disseminate all results of the activities integrated in the E5DES project among the regional stakeholders connected to this project’s theme, by promoting research and innovation in energy efficiency, renewable energy, emerging technologies and circular economy in the field of desalination.