Ocean Energy
Ocean Energy - National support
National support
Portugal follows the 'Industrial Strategy for Ocean Renewable Energies' (EI-ERO) and its 'Action Plan' (RCM nº 174/2017). The aim of this strategy is to "export innovative ocean energy technologies", "create value by mastering intellectual property" and "create highly skilled employment”. These objectives are seconded in the motivations for a Blue Economy from the 'National Strategy for the Sea 2020-2030' (RCM No. 68/2021) and reflected in targets for deployed capacity as assumed in the 'National Energy and Climate Plan 2030' (RCM No. 53/2020) and the 'National Strategy for Hydrogen' (RCM No. 63/2020).
In line with EI-ERO guidelines, Portugal has two test zones for offshore electricity generation, where bathymetry, soil and resource characteristics have been or will be studied and made available to users. In these areas the environmental impact of the installation of devices was partially evaluated, facilitating permits.
One of them, called Aguçadoura Ocean Lab for Future Technologies, is located off the beach of Aguçadoura, in a maritime region with 45 m deep and 3.3 km2 of area, and is intended for technologies in development. The electricity generated in devices can be injected into the public electrical distribution network through a submarine cable, with 4 MW of capacity and 5 km long, with sub-station on land. This location hosted previously 'Archimedes WaveSwing' and 'Pelamis' ocean energy devices.
The other, called Pilot Zone, is located off Viana do Castelo city, in a region of about 11 km2 area and depth between 80 and 120 m. It has a submarine cable of 40 MW capacity and 17 km in length, with sub-station on land, and is intended for the demonstration of technologies that seek to enter or are already in a commercialisation phase.
Pilot Zone of Viana de Castelo is an extension of a Pilot Zone that existed off São Pedro de Moel, between Figueira da Foz and Nazaré, with 320 km2 of area, without infrastructure for electrical connection to the grid, created in 2008 through Decree-Law No. 5/2008.
Aiming contributing favorably to the permitting process, by simplifying the attribution of the 'Private Use of Maritime Space Title' (TUPEM), Portugal has a 'National Maritime Spatial Planning Situation Plan' (PSOEM, RCM nº 203-A/2019), which includes renewable energies among the uses and activities considered.
The 'Marine Strategy Framework Directive' (DL No. 108/2010, amended by DL No. 201/2012, No. 136/2013 and No. 143/2015) establishes the legal framework for the measures necessary to ensure the good environmental status of national marine waters by 2020. This directive mention activities such as "implementation and operation of parks for the use of marine renewable energy (waves, tides and wind)", focusing specifically on the levels of environmental noise introduced.
As the entity which provides the permitting of electricity production plants, DGEG has been contributing significantly to administrative simplification, through coordination among involved entities and new regulation.
DGEG has participated in the international CSA H22020 project named 'OceanSET' (2018-2021), in support of the Implementation Working Group on ocean energy of the SET Plan, and participates in the subsequent 'SEETIP Ocean' project (2022-2025). In these projects DGEG performs activities of mapping and monitoring of the evolution of the sector, generating information for decision-making processes within the European Commission.
(Source: OceanSET)