The President of the Regional Government will preside over the signing ceremony of the financial cooperation Protocol between the Foundation for Science and Technology (on behalf of the MIT-Portugal, the Regional Government and the University of the Azores under the development of the Green Islands project. The protocol will be signed tomorrow.

This protocol is justified for the reason that the energy sector is strategic and fundamental for the competitiveness of companies and for the welfare of citizens. The need to protect the environment and the instability of fossil fuel prices require a significant effort, a continuous diversification of energy sources, especially renewable sources, as well as the promotion of energy efficiency.

Changing the current energy production and consumption pattern requires the acquisition of competences, the development of scientific knowledge, the integration of new technologies, attitude changes, the increase of energy efficiency and a greater of renewable energy sources.

Therefore, the Medium-Term Guidelines for 2009/2012, presented by the X Government, highlighted the importance of investment in the creation of conditions to promote a Sustainable Energy System, based on the high levels of technical and scientific knowledge that enhance the potential of local resources, turning the Azores into a laboratory and a reference region in the domains of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The protocol associates the University of the Azores to that project through eighteen teams that will develop research studies in areas such as characterization of the energy consumption patterns, the energy efficiency of buildings, the characterization of renewable resources for electricity production, as well as the draw-up of pilot projects.

The developed works will be included in the Green Islands project, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology, under development by the MIT-Portugal, which aims to promote critical scientific knowledge to the development of sustainable energy, characterised by reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and the consequent technological development in partnership with national and international companies and their implementation and demonstration in the Azores.