In line with the new postal tariffs, the face values that can be obtained from the Amiel, SMD and NewVision Epost vending machines and which make up the sets are: 0,30, 0,48, 0,52, 0,60 and 0,75 EUR and CORREIO AZUL 0,45 and 1,80 EUR. Some machines have the second button programmed with the face value for domestic shipments up to 100 g.; these machines issue the value 0,50 EUR instead of 0,48. (Read previous article - Spanish version only)

		ATMs of Correio Normal (Normal - priority mail) and Correio Azul (Express post) issued by the vending machine AMIEL, blue/violet printing.

		ATMs of Correio Normal and Correio Azul issued by the vending machine NEWVISION.

ATMs of Correio Normal and Correio Azul issued by the vending machine SMD.

On the other hand, the face values proposed by the Portuguese Philatelic Service making up the sets for the Crouzet machines and printing variety are: 0,30, 0,52, 0,60 and 0,75 EUR and CORREIO AZUL 0,45 and 1,80 EUR.

On the date of issue, the Crouzet machines allowed direct printing of ATMs with 2 basic franking values: 0,30 EUR and CORREIO AZUL 0,45 EUR, whilst the rest of values can be obtained using the balance and selecting the destination, or keying the amount, starting from a minimum value of 0,45 EUR.
(There exists a few machines programmed with a minimum value of 0,10 EUR, both for ATMs for normal and express post).
In all the Crouzet machines it is possible to get smaller values than the minimum established, when the equipment does not have enough coins for change.

These machines allow the user to obtain an interesting receipt printed on the same type of adhesive label used for the ATM printing.

Most of Crouzet machines still in service issue ATMs with the face value printing in black, and just a very few (possibly not more than 3 or 4 machines in all the country – thus making them very hard to find) print them normally in blue-violet.

ATMs of Correio Normal and Correio Azul, receipt and ATM with minimum value 0,01 EUR issued by a vending machine CROUZET, black printing.

ATMs of Correio Normal and Correio Azul, receipt and ATM with minimum value 0,01 EUR issued by a vending machine CROUZET, blue/violet printing.

Covers with the first day commemorative postmark - Lisboa

Official first day covers. Amiel - Correio Azul set / Crouzet - ATM Correio Normal

Conscious of the serious problem that surrounds the current power model based on non renewable and highly polluting fossil fuels, governments and private companies have been investigating and developing over the last decade different alternative and renewable energies.
The Portuguese government also opted for them, and in recent years has undertaken important initiatives in this sector. For example, in 2005 they announced that General Electric will construct in Portugal the largest solar energy power station, worldwide. At the same the Portuguese government announced a public tender for the production of wind power around the country, and in April 2006 they announced the creation of an Experimental Park on Renewable Energies, in which the Universities of Extremadura in Badajoz (Spain) and Evora will combine their efforts for the development, promotion and spreading of the alternative energies.
Wind-mills in the north of Portugal
The new ATM issues are dedicated to the 2 main alternative energies, renewable and inexhaustible, and in whose development it is the future power world-wide. The wind power traditionally has been used by the man, although of secondary form, for the wind-mills and navigation. The wind is an inexhaustible and nonpolluting power source, although it is irregular and has storage problems. Currently it benefits from the wind turbines and wind-mills, grouped in the Wind parks. The wind moves a helix and a mechanical system turns the rotor of a generator or alternator, producing the electrical energy. The energy of the sun is another one of the inexhaustible sources and not much used, bearing in mind that the energy arriving at the Earth is about 10 thousand times greater than the energy consumed by all humanity. It can be transformed directly in heat by photo thermal conversion (for example, a green-house) or into electricity by photovoltaic convection using solar cells. Other alternative energies, still with a low level of development, are the geothermal one, cradle in the thermal energy of the interior of the Earth, or the biomass, in which the energy is produced by the decomposition of organic remains. Correios de Portugal has issued from 1971 different sets of stamps dedicated to the Moinhos de vento (wind-mills), and in 1976 a set of stamps dedicated to the energy, with the main power sources depicted.

Thanks to F. C. Videira and J. L. Garcia for its collaboration.