The newspaper People’s Daily, the official organ of the Communist Party of China, has published a report that explicitly highlights the POCTEP – ALDEALIX project as an example of good practice in the development of rural energy communities in Galicia, presenting it as a replicable model for sustainable energy transition with citizen participation.
The article, titled How a Small Town in Spain Builds a New Energy Community, and covered by La Voz de Galicia, explains that ALDEALIX is a cross-border cooperation initiative between Spain and Portugal, co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2021–2027 program. Its goal is to promote local energy communities based on the use of renewable resources, particularly biomass, in rural villages. The report presents the project as a pilot case combining energy innovation, local governance, and rural development.
Based on this experience, the Chinese media positions Galicia as a pioneering region in the implementation of energy communities, highlighting how residents and local authorities collaborate in the production, management, and consumption of clean energy. According to the article, this model reduces household energy costs by around 30% while strengthening energy self-sufficiency and the resilience of rural communities.
The report also emphasizes the social and environmental benefits of the Galician model, such as the creation of local employment, sustainable use of forest resources, and reduced risk of wildfires—issues especially relevant in rural areas affected by depopulation.
Additionally, People’s Daily contextualizes this experience within Galicia’s leadership in renewable energy, noting that a majority of its electricity production comes from clean sources such as wind and hydropower, and that there are plans to expand the energy community model to other regions.
The publication of this report in one of China’s main official media outlets reflects international interest in the Galician model and projects like ALDEALIX, highlighting the potential for future experience exchange and cooperation between China and Europe in renewable energy and local energy communities.