This study aimed to develop a multi-stakeholder analysis to identify the best strategies for the integration of a new Digital Energy Management Platform (DEMP). The municipality of Loulé (South of Portugal) was used as a case study. A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) framework combined with an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework and a TOWS Matrix was employed to analyse the stakeholder’s perceptions to propose strategies for integrating the DEMP. Five focus stakeholder groups were involved. Results showed that stakeholders considered that the positive aspects of DEMP outweigh the negative aspects by approximately 36%. Strengths were ranked with 34.4%, Opportunities with 33.8%, Weaknesses with 20.2%, and Threats with 11.6%. The sequence of factors with the highest overall score by stakeholders was O1(12.7%) > S2(11.1%) > W2(7.4%) > T3(4.1%). Based on stakeholder perceptions, the most suitable strategies were those that use Strengths and Opportunities of the system (SO strategies), and strategies that take advantage of Opportunities while dealing with Weaknesses (WO strategies), achieving a prevalence compared with the other strategies of 34% and 27%, respectively. Therefore, the participation process involving stakeholders’ groups in the implementation and monitoring of the DEMP provided an action plan and consensus capable of meeting the environmental and municipal energy management challenges.

The surrounding area of the Roxo stream sub-basin (basin of the Sado River, Portugal) has completely sterile sections, jeopardizing the productivity of the agricultural activities practiced there. This may be due to the inflow of the Agua Forte stream, which has characteristics of Acid Mining Drainage (AMD). The objective of this study was to test the efficiency of heavy metal removal from the Agua Forte stream using the macrophyte floating bed technology (Vetiveria zizanioides and Phragmites australis) in a pilot plant, monitoring and evaluating the water quality and performance of macrophytes. Two experiments were carried out in 2019 over 6 months (January to June). Both experiments were performed in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tanks with the nominal capacity of 1 m(3) each. The tanks were filled with about 0.8 m(3) of water coming from the Agua Forte stream, which was renewed monthly. The floating beds consisted in a high-density polyethylene floating system and an organic plant support mat filled with a plant density of 285 plants m-2. The heavy metal removal rates obtained from the Vetiveria zizanioides and Phragmites australis floating bed were Fe = 40%; Zn = 33%; Cu = 23%; Mn = 14% and Fe = 27%; Zn = 19%; Mn = 17%; Cu = 14%; respectively. The order of heavy metals accumulation in Vetiveria zizanioides and Phragmites australis in plant biomass was Fe> Zn> Cu> Mn and Fe> Zn> Mn> Cu, respectively. The growth of Vetiveria zizanioides and Phragmites australis in leaf biomass was 7.1 +/- 0.3 cm/month and 2.5 +/- 0.0 cm/month and in root biomass 3.8 +/- 0.1 cm/month and 4.1 +/- 0.1 cm/month, respectively. The growth of macrophytes showed the ability to survive in the AMD-containing waters without severe damage in their external and anatomical morphology, although their growth suffered inhibition. The results suggest that the floating bed technology may be an environmentally sustainable alternative, allowing long-term heavy metal removal.