These are fundamental investments to reduce energy dependence, diversify sources of supply and respond to the challenges of the climate transition. However, this transformation raises a question that I consider increasingly important for the country's economic future: how much of the value created by these investments effectively remains in the territories where they are carried out?

Many regions in the Portuguese interior have particularly favourable conditions for the production of renewable energy. The availability of land, sun exposure and natural resources make these territories attractive to national and international investors. However, the existence of natural resources does not guarantee economic development. A large energy project may represent an investment of tens or hundreds of millions of euros, but a significant part of this value corresponds to the acquisition of equipment, technology and services from other regions or from abroad. During the construction phase, there is a demand for local workers and suppliers, but once the installation is completed, the operation often requires relatively small permanent teams.

This does not mean that these investments do not bring benefits. They can generate tax revenues, income for owners, opportunities for local businesses and improvements in certain infrastructures. The question is whether these benefits are enough to structurally transform regional economies. For decades, many inland territories have seen the outflow of population, the reduction of productive activities and the concentration of investment in the main urban centres. The energy transition could represent an opportunity to counter some of these trends, but this requires a strategy that goes beyond the simple installation of production capacity.

A region hosting large renewable investments should seek to create conditions to also attract industrial activities, specialised technical services and companies capable of participating in the energy value chain. Engineering, equipment maintenance, technological monitoring and certain industrial services can represent additional opportunities for the creation of qualified employment. However, these activities do not arise automatically. They require vocational training, adequate infrastructure, entrepreneurial capacity and an effective articulation between investors, municipalities and educational institutions.

Municipalities also have an important responsibility here. Rather than evaluating projects solely by the amount of investment announced, they should seek to understand the lasting economic benefits, infrastructure needs and possibilities for integration with the existing business fabric. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that energy production respects agriculture, the landscape and the interests of local communities. There is also an often overlooked aspect: producing renewable electricity in a given region does not mean that companies located there automatically have access to cheaper energy, as this advantage depends on the functioning of the electricity market, the networks and the contracting conditions.

Portugal has an opportunity to transform the energy transition into a true instrument of territorial development. But the success of this strategy should not be measured only by the megawatts installed or the volume of investment announced. It should also be evaluated by the companies that emerge, the qualified jobs that remain and the ability to create new economic opportunities in the producing regions. The Portuguese interior should not limit itself to providing land and natural resources to feed the national economy. It should be able to participate in the wealth it helps to create.

Set The Portugal News as your preferred source for news on Google

GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google