Approval of the Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan

Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 19/2025, approving the Offshore Renewable Energy Allocation Plan, was published in Diário da República no. 27/2025, Series I, of February 7.

The Allocation Plan for Offshore Renewable Energies, hereinafter referred to as “PAER”, defines the areas and volumes of national maritime space, in the subdivision of the continent, for the commercial exploitation of renewable energies of ocean origin or location.

In this context, the PAER delimits spatialized areas for the installation of floating offshore wind farms, focusing exclusively on maritime areas adjacent to the west coast of the continent, selected on the basis of technical criteria that take into account the best natural conditions for the exploitation of offshore wind energy, while ensuring compatibility with other maritime uses and activities, in accordance with the principles of sustainability and good management of ocean resources.

In addition, the Resolution: (i) establishes the procedures for the allocation of the areas covered; (ii) ensures the integration of the PAER into the National Maritime Spatial Planning Situation Plan (PSOEM); (iii) guarantees compliance with the strategic objectives of the National Energy and Climate Plan 2030 (PNEC 2030); (iv) establishes that it is the responsibility of the Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM) to ensure the deposit and availability of the geospatial representation of the plan, as well as the other elements of the PAER.

In total, the PAER covers 2,711.6 km² with the potential to install up to 9.4 GW of capacity.

The areas identified are detailed in the table below:

Under the terms of Article 19(1) of Decree-Law 38/2015, of March 12, in its current wording, the allocation plans assign areas and volumes of national maritime space to uses and activities not identified in the Situation Plan, establishing, where applicable, the respective parameters of use.

Thus, the PAER formalizes this allocation for the exploitation of offshore renewable energies and, according to paragraph 2 of the same article, it automatically becomes part of the PSOEM, which is amended accordingly, ensuring compatibility with other maritime uses and avoiding overlaps.

The PAER was subject to public consultation in 2023, a process that allowed contributions to be collected for its revision and optimization. As a result, the following changes were introduced:

– Reduction of the area north of Viana do Castelo (previously with 1.9 GW of power);

– Elimination of the area south of Viana do Castelo;

– Adjustment to the Leixões area (previously 2.0 GW); and

– Exclusion of the Ericeira maritime area.

With the approval of the PAER, the use of the defined areas for commercial projects will be carried out by government-initiated procedures, through a public tender, in accordance with article 23 of Decree-Law no. 15/2022, of January 14, in its current wording.

This resolution comes into force on February 8, 2025

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