Portugal's Offshore Wind Auction Framework

The Portuguese Government has officially published an order detailing the framework for its first auction of commercial-scale offshore wind farms, set to take place later this year. This significant step follows the January 2025 announcement of the country’s Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan (PAER), which highlighted potential areas for offshore wind development.

Key Details of the Framework

On April 21, 2025, Order No 4752/2025 was published in the Diário da República. This order outlines a centralized, sequential, two-stage auction process for offshore wind farm development. The initiative is backed by the Directorate General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services, the Directorate General for Energy and Geology, and the EMER taskforce, which oversees the licensing of renewable energy projects.

Within a 60-day period, the government will formalize the development process and specify the sea areas included in the first auction, referencing the areas identified in the Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan. Additionally, the government will establish pre-qualification criteria for developers, with the first competitive procedure expected to commence within 180 days of the order's publication.

Goals for Offshore Wind Capacity

The Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan aims to enable Portugal to install 2 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, promoting the energy transition and decarbonization of the economy. A public consultation on the PAER was initiated in October 2023, focusing on six potential offshore wind areas: Viana do Castelo Norte, Viana do Castelo Sul, Leixões, Figueira da Foz, Ericeira, and Sines.