Portugal starts clock on two-stage offshore wind tender

Lisbon: Portugal has opted for a two-stage auction model for its inaugural offshore wind tender and has set itself time limits for launching the competitive process within six months.

Portugal is seen as a potentially attractive market for floating wind, and has played a leading role in deploying pre-commercial projects — most notably the pioneering WindFloat Atlantic array — but the premature collapse of two governments has resulted in a loss of momentum.

Delays have been aggravated by a lack of clarity over proposed dates and on whether the model will start with an auction for the seabed lease or include a pricing mechanism.