Portuguese architect is a finalist for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2024

Rita Gomes, the architect and founder of Seenergy, a Portuguese start-up that creates innovative and exclusive design solutions and implements renewable energy systems in decorative furniture, is the only Portuguese woman to make the shortlist for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2024.

The aim of Rita Gomes’ start-up is to develop a range of economical and environmentally friendly furniture that harnesses and stores solar energy. “Our mission is to create innovative solutions in which we can apply, on a global scale, the advantages of this solar technology integrated into furniture, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally responsible future,” says the architect.

Seenergy applies dye-sensitized solar cells that imitate the process of photosynthesis in plants, turning light into electricity. With the exception of regular solar panels, solar cells can be used indoors and do not need direct sunlight. Once the cells have been collected, the energy is stored in a battery, which is then included in the furniture pieces and can also be used to charge devices or turn on lights via a USB input.

The young entrepreneur hopes that her contribution in this area will inspire the female public so that more and more women take on leadership roles in the energy sector. “More than an award, this distinction reflects the validation that our efforts are aligned with the European Union’s objectives in the areas of sustainability and inclusion, and with which we can have a significant impact in this field,” says the finalist.

In November 2023, Seenergy won a prize of 10,000 euros in the New European Bauhau category, in the final of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s EIT Jumpstarter. This initiative honors huge innovative technological proposals that can help Europe face one of its most urgent challenges.

Through partnerships with industry leaders and the University of Porto, the Portuguese architect intends to invest the prize money in her project and accelerate the development of Seenergy’s concept and products until next year.

Rita Gomes is one of the three finalists for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2024, in the category of Women in Energy. This award honors women who run innovative projects and activities that can help promote a change in the use of more sustainable energy sources in Europe. Special attention is also paid to women’s contribution in the project, in order to motivate gender integration and support equal opportunities in the sector.

The other two finalists are Françoise Réfabert from France and Karolina Attspodina from Germany. The French finalist has developed an innovative project in the area of affordable financing for home energy renovations. Karolina’s mission is to move solar energy to the balconies of living spaces using DIY kits.