Portugal outlines framework for first offshore wind auction

Publication of the order follows the publication in January 2025 of the country’s Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan (PAER), which identified potential areas for the development of offshore wind.

Published on 21 April 2025 in the Diário da República, Order No 4752/2025 outlines the use of a centralised, sequential, two-stage auction process for the development of offshore windfarms.

Supported by the Directorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services, Directorate General for Energy and Geology and the EMER taskforce that is responsible for overseeing the licensing of renewable energy projects, the government will, within a 60-day period, formalise the process for the development of offshore windfarms and identify the sea areas to be included in the first auction. It will do so taking as a reference the areas identified in the recently published Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan.

Within the 60-day period, the government will also publish prequalification criteria for developers and within 180 days of the publication of the order will proceed with the country’s first competitive procedure.

In January 2025, Portugal’s Council of Ministers approved the PAER, which will serve as a basis for the development of offshore renewable energy.

The PAER identified areas with the highest potential for offshore renewable energy to enable the country to install 2 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, driving the energy transition in Portugal and the decarbonisation of the economy.

A public consultation on the PAER was launched in October 2023, focusing on six potential areas for offshore wind, in Viana do Castelo Norte, Viana do Castelo Sul, Leixões, Figueira da Foz, Ericeira and Sines.