Portugal cuts floating wind tender plans after fishing has say

Portugal has reduced the total area on offer in its inaugural offshore wind tender under a revised plan which also lowers the capacity target set for 2030.

The centre-right government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called a review of the previous administration's offshore wind tender plan after taking office in April 2024, while also reaffirming the country's overall commitment to reaching renewable energy targets.

Under the revised plan, concerns over impacts on fishing industries were raised, leading the government to reduce the total area of seabed to be included in the tender by 15% compared with the previous programme.

The planned tender will include areas off the coast of Viana do Castelo and Leixoes, Figueira da Foz and Sines, amounting to a total area of 2,712 square kilometres.

Areas offered off Viana do Castelo was significantly reduced from previous plans, and the area of Leixoes was also adjusted. The Ericeira zone will no longer be included.

In its decision, approved at cabinet level and published on Friday, the government said "the need to reduce the impact on fishing activity and the environment was recognised" after consultation and "careful consideration".

The plan also includes an area of 5.6 sq km in the Agucadoura region for research and demonstrator projects. But the total areas on offer is 470 sq km less than before.

In terms of commercial capacity, the revised plan offers scope for 9.4GW of wind power by 2030, compared to 10GW previously.

Under the previous socialist government, Portugal’s national climate and energy plan (PNEC) aimed to tender 3.5GW of capacity in 2024, rising to 10GW by 2030.

That plan also stated that 2GW of offshore wind power capacity would be in operation by 2030.

In its new decision, the Portuguese government said it had also taken account of impacts on environmental and fishing industry issues, as well as navigation routes and the latest data on wind wake effects.

Portugal's directorate for natural resources, security and maritime services (DGRM) signalled last year that the country's long-awaited first offshore wind round is likely to be launched soon after official promulgation of the areas on offer.

Portuguese coastal conditions will require floating wind technology.

An array of three 8.4MW Vestas turbines housed on semi-submersible hulls has performed well in an ocean environment known for its heavy waves, supplying the grid without interruption since 2020, when it was first moored in nearly 100 metres of water off Viano do Castelo.

The country's plans for offshore wind have lost momentum since then due, in part, to the commercial challenges facing floating wind technologies that are yet to be scaled up and, developers argue, a slower than expected pace in terms of regulatory decisions in Portugal.