EDP arrives in Piranema with the Comunidade IN Program
EDP, a company that operates in all business areas of Brazil’s electric sector, is arriving in Piranema, in Cariacica, with the Comunidade IN program. Over three years, residents of Piranema will benefit from various initiatives related to the energy transition, improvements to the electrical grid, and education, all aimed at promoting the integrated development of the community and improving quality of life. The anticipated investment is around BRL 3.5 million.
The initiatives of Comunidade IN will complement the actions of the Favela 3D program (Digna, Digital e Desenvolvida), created by the NGO Gerando Falcões with the purpose of overcoming poverty in a systemic way—by empowering people and improving quality of life for residents of favelas and outskirts. Favela 3D is a partnership with the Espírito Santo State Government and the Municipality of Cariacica.
Last Saturday, the 15th, the first action was carried out: the installation of 50 solar streetlights in the streets and alleys of the community, in collaboration with the organization Litro de Luz. Present were the Vice-Governor of Espírito Santo, Ricardo Ferraço; the Secretary of Government of Cariacica, Fernando Santos Macarineli; representatives of EDP, Gerando Falcões, and Litro de Luz; plus, volunteers from EDP and from the communities of Jabaeté and Ourimar.
The solar-powered poles installed in Piranema are made with simple materials, such as PET bottles and PVC pipe, in addition to solar panels, batteries and LEDs. This action, as well as others that will take place over the coming years through the Comunidade IN program, will benefit about one thousand families living in the community. Solar lighting in public spaces brings several benefits, such as increased safety, greater potential for commerce, and the opportunity for nighttime leisure activities. Beyond illuminating the neighborhood, the project also aims to empower residents, encouraging everyone to act as agents of transformation within their own community.
“Comunidade IN is a fine example of how we contribute to sustainable local development, joining efforts from public and private initiatives, civil society and organizations, and delivering results that are a true legacy for the communities, since its benefits persist even after the program’s conclusion,” explains Dominic Schmal, ESG Director for EDP in South America.
Among the various actions that will be carried out through the Comunidade IN program in Piranema over the next few years are home renovation and improvements to electrical installations, aimed at enhancing safety and energy efficiency; and technical training in renewable energy with the goal of contributing to education, employability, and income generation.
Comunidade IN: Integrated Development and Legacy for Communities
As part of its strategy to lead a just energy transition, EDP prioritizes contributing to the development of the regions where it operates through a variety of initiatives. With Comunidade IN, every three years communities in the company’s concession areas, in Espírito Santo and in São Paulo, are selected to receive program actions over the coming years.
During the selection process, a full diagnosis of the community is carried out, considering local data, characteristics, and needs, to plan and implement actions that may focus on education, vocational training, income generation, dignified housing, access to culture and leisure, conscious consumption, quality energy, energy access, digital inclusion, and waste awareness.
In the community of Piranema, where EDP has partnered with Gerando Falcões, that diagnostic work was carried out by the NGO, which was already working in the territory through the Favela 3D project, in partnership with the State Government and the Municipality. Dênis Pacheco, Planning Manager of Favela 3D at Gerando Falcões, led the process.
“For six months we worked on diagnosing the main needs in Cariacica. For that, we used public data provided by the State Government and the Municipality and conducted in-depth interviews with residents and social leaders. Now we are in the planning phase of Favela 3D, evaluating which actions we will take in the community to provide empowerment and a better quality of life to the residents; among them is the partnership with EDP and Litro de Luz, which we are very excited about,” he says.
Results in Jabaeté
In 2025, EDP is wrapping up the Comunidade IN cycle in Jabaeté, in Vila Velha, which has been receiving program actions since 2021. Over this period, more than BRL 5 million has been invested in various initiatives. One highlight was the establishment of the Ecoponto, in partnership with the startup Coletando Soluções, which promotes waste management, income generation, and environmental education in the community.
The Ecoponto receives recyclable materials - paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metal - from residents of Jabaeté and neighboring neighborhoods. The waste collected is converted into cash and credited to bank accounts. Since its inauguration in 2023, over 22 tons of waste have been collected, generating about BRL 18,000 in income for around 50 families.
Another highlight is Comunidade Solar. The initiative, carried out in partnership with Revolusolar, is bringing renewable energy to the community of Jabaeté through solar panels installed at the Tons de Amoras project, at Instituto GG5, and at the Associação de Nova Jabaeté, as well as solar energy kiosks for charging electronic devices in parks and other common public spaces.
The installation of solar panels has produced roughly a 50% saving on the energy bills of the beneficiary institutions, as well as giving them access to renewable energy. The project also included professional training of residents in Maintenance and Installation of Photovoltaic Systems, in partnership with SENAI. In 2025, the last phases of the project are still expected to be implemented, expanding solar energy to other areas of the community.
Global Strategy
Similar initiatives have been carried out by EDP around the world as part of EDP Y.E.S. – You Empower Society, a program that aggregates more than 500 social responsibility projects aimed at a just energy transition. In 2022, the Solidarity Solar project began in Portugal, in the Cova da Moura neighborhood, a community located on the outskirts of Lisbon facing challenges related to basic infrastructure, especially electricity.
In Spain, the company signed an agreement with Caritas Española to finance, through Fundación EDP, in 2021, the installation of self-consumption photovoltaic systems in some units of the entity in the country. Actions like these are examples of how solar power can contribute to sustainability and social inclusion, ensuring access to clean electricity and promoting local development.
