On 28 October, a demonstration event will be held to present this infrastructure, developed as part of the European Interreg POCTEP Aldealix project, and to highlight its potential as a sustainable energy model that can be replicated in other rural municipalities.
The Aldealix project continues to make progress in establishing local energy communities based on forest biomass, with the handover ceremony for the Cerdedo-Cotobade (Pontevedra) biomass heating network due to take place on 28 October 2026, The event, organised by the Galician Agency for Rural Development (Agader) in collaboration with Cerdedo-Cotobade Town Council, will take place in the Multisocial Hall at the Cerdedo Cultural Centre.
This initiative is one of the pilot projects launched by Aldealix, a cross-border cooperation initiative that promotes the sustainable use of local forest resources to generate local thermal energy, foster energy self-sufficiency and contribute to the socio-economic development of villages in Galicia and northern Portugal.
Infrastructure to make the most of local energy resources
The Cerdedo-Cotobade district heating network is designed to supply heating and domestic hot water to various municipal public buildings by utilising forest biomass.
This solution will enable progress towards a more efficient and sustainable heating supply model, making the most of the resources available in the region and helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
In addition to its energy and environmental benefits, the initiative aims to serve as a showcase for other local authorities interested in developing similar solutions, facilitating the transfer of knowledge on technologies, management models and the use of local biomass.
A day to learn about the project and its applications
The event will be attended by representatives from the Xunta de Galicia, Agader and Cerdedo-Cotobade Town Council, who will discuss the importance of this initiative for the energy transition in rural areas and its contribution to the objectives of the Aldealix project.
The programme for the day includes a presentation of the infrastructure, followed by the formal handover to Cerdedo-Cotobade Town Council.
The programme will also include a giuided tour of the facilities, during which attendees will be able to see the boiler room and the technical specifications of the heating network for themselves.
Aldealix, a model of cross-border cooperation for rural bioenergy
The Aldealix project – Model Villages for the integration of biomass into the local production model through energy communities, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) via the Interreg VI-A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) programme 2021–2027 promotes the creation of rural energy communities through the use of forest biomass.
La iniciativa contempla el desarrollo de cuatro experiencias piloto en Monterrei y Cerdedo-Cotobade, en Galicia, y en Vila Pouca de Aguiar y Arcos de Valdevez, en el norte de Portugal.
Con la entrega de esta infraestructura, Aldealix da un nuevo paso hacia la consolidación de soluciones energéticas sostenibles, escalables y replicables que contribuyan a la valorización de los recursos forestales, la prevención de incendios y el desarrollo de nuevas oportunidades para el medio rural.
For further information and to register, please follow this link.
