1. Seven Districts Will Be Under Yellow Warning Due to Maritime Conditions
Seven districts in Portugal will be under a yellow warning from the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) due to predicted maritime agitation between Monday, February 24th, and Tuesday, February 25th. The districts that are expected to be affected by the extreme conditions are Porto, Viana do Castelo, Lisbon, Leiria, Aveiro, Coimbra, and Braga, where waves may reach heights of four to five meters.
The warning will be in effect from 9:00 AM on February 24th until 3:00 AM on February 25th. This follows a previous yellow warning on Saturday, which affected 12 districts, with 10 due to maritime agitation and two (Guarda and Castelo Branco) due to snowfall.
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2. A Speed Dating Initiative That Will Bring Together Senior Citizens and Students Looking for Housing
The Nova University of Lisbon is organizing an Intergenerational Speed Dating event on February 26th to address the housing crisis and loneliness. The initiative aims to connect senior citizens with vacant rooms and students looking for accommodation in Lisbon. Unlike traditional speed dating, the event focuses on fostering dialogue between older adults and young students, with the goal of matching them as housemates to combat both housing difficulties and loneliness among seniors.
The event is part of the 1/4 network, which connects those working to combat the housing crisis with those in need. In addition to providing students with housing opportunities, the event seeks to promote reflection on housing challenges for youth, active aging, and the benefits of intergenerational living. Note that it is also linked to the exhibition “The Grandmother Came to Work,” showcasing social entrepreneurship in Cascais.
With limited spaces for 20 students and 20 seniors, the event will be hosted by Fernando Alvim, Cremilde, one of the “grandmothers,” and student José Catalão. Conversations will be supplemented with music by DJ Estamina. The event will take place at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at Nova University from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with online registration available.
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3. Portugal Has Two of the 100 Best Cafes in the World
Portugal is now home to two cafés ranked among the “100 Best Cafés in the World,” with The Folks, in Lisbon, securing 74th place and 7g Roaster, in Vila Nova de Gaia, placing 29th.
The Folks, which opened in 2022, quickly became a key player in Lisbon’s specialty coffee scene, offering beans sourced from cities like Amsterdam, Berlin, and Barcelona, alongside popular brunch dishes such as Eggs Benedict and avocado toast. It has since expanded to five additional locations in the city, including Alfama, São Bento, and Belém. On the other hand, 7g Roaster in Vila Nova de Gaia, which earned 29th place, is not only a café but also a specialty coffee roasting company, offering high-quality coffee paired with brunch and other menus.
With their placements, both The Folks and 7g Roaster have helped elevate Portugal’s reputation in the global coffee industry. The “100 Best Cafés” list, compiled through public votes and expert panel selections, features renowned cafés from across the world, and Portugal is now proudly represented alongside global hotspots like Australia, the USA, and Malaysia.
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4. The Albuquerque Foundation Opens a New Ceramics Museum in Sintra
The Albuquerque Foundation opened a new museum in Sintra with one of the world’s most important collections of Chinese porcelain. Located in Linhó, 30 minutes from Lisbon, the collection, founded by engineer Renato Albuquerque, includes over 2,500 pieces from the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as imperial porcelain. The inaugural exhibition, “Conexões,” features approximately 20% of the collection, highlighting the historical connections between the East and West. The foundation’s president, Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho, emphasizes the goal to rotate exhibitions, offering fresh perspectives on the collection through various curators.
Upon arrival, visitors will encounter a mix of traditional and contemporary architecture. The Albuquerque family’s former vacation home houses the museum’s shop, restaurant, library, and suites for artistic residencies. In addition, two modern buildings host the first two exhibitions. “Conexões”, which exposes Chinese porcelain from the 16th to the 18th century, focuses on the cultural exchanges between the East and the West. Note that the collection includes pieces like a Ming Dynasty wine jug shaped like a dancing woman and a Qing Dynasty crab-shaped terrine. The exhibition is organized thematically, rather than chronologically, with themes such as “Life in the East and West” and “Spiritual Kingdom.”
The second exhibition, “A Mão Sempre Presente,” features work by American artist Theaster Gates, known for his critical exploration of economic, political, and racial issues. Gates’ installation, set against the porcelain collection, contrasts black ceramic tiles with the white porcelain, representing the cultural divide. His work connects with the imperfection and history of the Albuquerque collection, inviting reflection on the past. Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho explains that Gates’ work raises questions about the historical context in which these pieces were made and challenges the audience to consider what should not be repeated from history. The exhibitions will be open until August 2026.
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5. Don’t Know How to Ride a Bike? You Can Now Take Free Class in Arroios
In Arroios, the “Let’s Pedal” program offers free bike classes starting March 8th, designed to teach people how to ride and promote safe bike usage. The initiative, organized by the Arroios Parish Council, aims to encourage daily cycling with an increased number of bike lanes in the city. Classes will be held at the parish’s sports center, near Mercado do Forno do Tijolo, and will run almost every month, excluding April, August, and December.
The full schedule is available online, allowing participants to easily sign up and join the community initiative to embrace cycling. This program provides a great opportunity for beginners to gain confidence and skills while cycling in a supportive environment. Note that the classes will continue through May, June, September, October, and November, with registration opening on February 26th.
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6. Comporta Will Have Three New Luxury Real Estate Projects
The construction company ACA strengthened its presence in Comporta with three luxury developments, totaling 131,000 m² of construction and valued at over 120 million euros. These projects (Sublime Comporta Villas, Comporta Beach & Golf Resort, and NUMA Hotel Rural in Grândola) highlight ACA’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation in luxury tourism. The company aims to combine high-end construction with environmental respect, utilizing methods that preserve the local ecosystem in this environmentally sensitive region.
The Sublime Comporta Villas project merges the charm of rural Alentejo life with proximity to the sea, featuring 43 luxury villas surrounded by pine forests. The development prioritizes privacy and nature, offering villas with private pools, gardens, and sizes between 350 and 575 m². Comporta Beach & Golf Resort, next to the Troia golf course, promises to transform 62,500 m² into a luxury destination, with a 5-star hotel, villas, and extensive leisure facilities. Meanwhile, the NUMA Hotel Rural in Grândola, on the other hand, focuses on rural tourism, with villas designed for exclusivity, sustainability, and comfort, alongside dedicated spaces for dining and wellness.
Note that ACA’s ability to execute these complex projects in challenging regions reaffirms its leadership in the construction sector. These projects bring luxury to Comporta while promoting sustainable tourism. As such, they contribute to the region’s international recognition and reinforce its status as a prime tourist destination.
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7. Portugal’s New Incentive System for Startups
The new incentive system for startups introduces three types of fixed-value vouchers (10,000, 30,000, and 60,000 euros) to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, including startups across mainland Portugal. This initiative, part of the “Acelerar a Economia” (Accelerate the Economy) program, focuses on stimulating the ignition, investment, growth, and internationalization of the country’s most innovative business ecosystem, with an emphasis on SMEs and academic startups. The financial support provided by the three vouchers is non-refundable, and applications are managed by the National Innovation Agency (ANI), with detailed conditions posted on their website, where applicants can find information about eligibility, funding amounts, and the required documentation.
The Voucher Deep Tech, offering 60,000 euros, aims to strengthen deep tech companies in Portugal, enabling them to participate successfully in international initiatives. The funding supports a range of activities including intellectual property strategy, legal and negotiation support for investments, prototyping, and system-level demonstrations. Companies must not have previously received support from specific European Union programs, such as Horizon 2020, and should not have secured over 500,000 euros in venture capital funding. Another support program, the Voucher Go to EIC Accelerator, provides 10,000 euros to help startups apply for the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator Instrument, covering essential services like pitch deck creation, video production, and graphic design.
Last but not least, the Start from Knowledge Program offers 30,000 euros to startups founded by individuals connected to higher education, such as researchers or faculty members. This funding aims to encourage the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge into the national business sector. It supports activities such as business preparation, participation in programs for ignition and acceleration, marketing strategy development, and research projects. To qualify for these supports, companies must be legally established, with their tax and social security situations regularized, and they must present positive financial status. Applications are evaluated by a designated technical team, with funding decisions made within 30 working days and results communicated within five days.
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8. Portugal Is the Fourth Highest Consumer of Renewable Energy in the EU
Portugal was the fourth-largest consumer of renewable energy in the European Union in 2023, with 63% of its electricity consumption coming from renewable sources. Only Austria, Sweden, and Denmark had a higher share of renewable energy consumption. According to Eurostat (the European statistics office), renewable energy sources accounted for 45.3% of total electricity consumption across the EU, marking a significant increase of 4.1 percentage points from the previous year, the largest annual growth in renewable energy consumption since 2004.
The growth in renewable energy consumption was largely driven by wind and hydropower, which together accounted for more than two-thirds of the total renewable electricity generation. Wind power contributed 38.5%, while hydropower represented 28.2%. Solar energy followed, contributing 20.5%, with solid biofuels and other renewable sources representing 6.2% and 6.6%, respectively. The EU’s expansion of solar and wind energy in the last decade has been a key factor in this rise. Solar power, in particular, has seen rapid growth, jumping from just 7.4 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2008 to 252.1 TWh in 2023.
As mentioned, in addition to Portugal, other EU countries like Austria, Sweden, and Denmark also consumed a high proportion of renewable energy, with renewable sources making up 87.8%, 87.5%, and 79.4% of their electricity consumption, respectively. Conversely, countries like Malta, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, and Hungary had lower shares of renewable electricity, with Malta at just 10.7%. Based on current trends, 2024 is expected to see another record year, as Portugal’s renewable energy production reached a historic 36.7 TWh, meeting 71% of the national electricity consumption.
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9. Portuguese President Insists That Europe Must Be Involved in the Ukraine Negotiations
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Portuguese President of the Republic, emphasized that Europe must be involved in the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, pointing out that, overall, Europe has contributed more than the United States. Speaking from Recife, where he was visiting Brazil, he stressed that the war is not just an European conflict but a global one, and Europe’s security is at stake. He argued that the absence of Europe from discussions between the world’s major powers would disrupt the balance of global power.
In addressing the meeting convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, which includes European heads of government and NATO leaders, Marcelo refrained from making specific predictions but expressed a clear stance: the world without Europe would be poorer, and Europe must have an active role in shaping decisions regarding the war. He warned that agreements on the conflict should not happen without Europe’s presence, as much of what exists globally owes its existence to European contributions.
Regarding Portugal’s absence from the meeting, the President explained that it was a decision based on the involvement of the five largest European economies and countries like Denmark, due to its unique position on the matter. He reiterated Portugal’s loyalty to its allies and partners, expressing that Portugal and Europe deserve the same loyalty in return. His remarks also rejected negotiations “on the sidelines” of Europe or Ukraine, highlighting his concern about the potential breakdown of alliances.
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10. The Chinese Move Forward with Historic Investment in Sines, Portugal – A Battery Factory That Could Represent More Than 4% of GDP
After three years of discussions, the Chinese company CALB is making a “historic investment for the green economy in Portugal,” valued at around two billion euros. The company will build a state-of-the-art lithium battery production facility in Sines, which is expected to create 1,800 direct jobs. Once fully operational, by 2028, the factory could represent more than 4% of Portugal’s GDP, potentially surpassing the economic impact of the Volkswagen Autoeuropa factory. This investment is a major step in supporting the transition of the European automotive sector to electric vehicles.
The CALB factory will have an initial production capacity of 15 GWh, with plans for expansion to 45 GWh in three years. The company’s goal is to position Portugal at the forefront of electric vehicle battery production in Europe, aligning with its commitment to innovation and environmental leadership. As such, the factory’s role is seen as vital in meeting the growing demand for clean energy solutions in the European electric mobility sector, contributing to energy security, economic growth, and sustainability.
Note that the project is one of the largest foreign investments in Portugal in recent decades. The official launch will take place in Lisbon on February 24, 2025, with the Minister of Economy presiding over the ceremony. CALB’s decision to invest in Portugal is largely driven by the exceptional logistical advantages of the location, offering a deep-water port and a major rail transportation platform for goods. Despite earlier concerns about political tensions, the government has assured that the project remains on track, with no indication that CALB is reconsidering its investment.
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