Simplified Rules For Renewables

The new Decree-Law 30-A/2022 published today at the Portuguese official gazette implements the measures recently announced by the Portuguese Government to accelerate the entry into operation of renewable energy production projects.

Renewable energy plants, storage facilities, and production units for self-consumption are temporarily exempted of operating license or operating certificate whenever the grid operator confirms the existence of conditions for connection to grid. The operating license or operating certificate may now be requested within three years and the DGEG (Direção Geral de Energia e Geologia) may waive the need for a previous inspection.

The installation of generating plants and self-consumption units ("UPACs") must follow minimum technical rules, to ensure the protection of natural resources, soil, water, territory, and the preservation of biodiversity, also requiring a minimum distance of 1km from population centers.