According to Jornal Económico, a second offshore wind farm is to be built in the Portuguese sea. The Nau Azul pilot project by the Irish company Gazelle Wind Power will produce electricity in front of Aguçadoura, Póvoa de Varzim, in the Porto district.

With 2 megawatts (MW) of capacity, the project received approval from national authorities by receiving the Title for Private Use of Maritime Space (TUPEM), a crucial license, for 10 years.

Issued by the Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM), the license gives the company “exclusive rights to occupy and use a designated area of ​​national maritime space for the installation, operation and testing of its innovative floating technology platform”.

This step will allow the company to “prepare the installation of the pilot” that will serve as “a roadmap for commercial projects around the world. It is a big step on our path to commercialisation,” said Jon Salazar, CEO of the company, in a statement.

“This project is critical to demonstrating that Gazelle’s patented, lightweight and modular design can operate in deep water while reducing levelized energy costs,” it reads.

It was here, off the coast of Aguçadoura, that the pilot of Windfloat 1 was installed, the definitive version of which – Windfloat Atlantic – is now installed off the coast of Viana do Castelo, with 25 MW.

Among the project's added value, the company highlights the possibility of being transported from ports with shallow waters, reducing costs.

In addition to job creation, the company says it will work with educational institutions such as IPVC, INESCTEC and INESCTEC.OCEAN.

“From production to assembly, to maritime operations and maintenance, the Nau Azul project will support skilled employment opportunities and help stimulate economic growth in the Viana do Castelo area,” he adds.