Portugal has opened the public consultation process for the Green Map (Mapa Verde), a planning tool designed to identify the most suitable areas for the development of renewable energy projects, while streamlining permitting procedures, increasing investment certainty and strengthening local community participation.

The initiative is part of the country’s implementation of the European Union’s RED III Directive and is included among the measures of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). Its main objective is to establish Renewable Energy Acceleration Areas (ZAER in portuguese), which will serve as preferred locations for the deployment of new renewable energy projects.

Preferred areas for renewable energy investment

According to Portugal’s Ministry of Environment and Energy, the ZAER framework is intended to simplify licensing procedures, provide greater legal certainty for developers and investors, and improve coordination between project developers, municipalities and local communities.

The technical work was carried out by an independent team coordinated by Maria do Rosário Partidário, based on criteria including environmental sensitivity, renewable energy potential, land-use planning considerations and proximity to electricity grid infrastructure.

The model is built around three key principles: faster permitting processes, greater predictability for investors, and the early integration of environmental and territorial criteria into project planning.

Balancing renewable energy development and environmental protection

The Portuguese government emphasized that the Renewable Energy Acceleration Areas will not prevent renewable projects from being developed elsewhere in the country. Instead, they will function as preferred zones that guide investment toward areas with lower environmental sensitivity and greater capacity for grid integration.

Portugal’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stated that the Green Map is an essential tool for accelerating the country’s energy transition by providing simpler rules, greater predictability and stronger local participation, while maintaining a balance between energy development, environmental protection and territorial planning.

Public consultation open until July 15

The public consultation will run from June 17 to July 15 through the participa.pt platform. Citizens, municipalities, environmental organizations and project developers are invited to submit comments and proposals as part of the process.

Through this initiative, the Ministry of Environment and Energy aims to strengthen regulatory simplification, improve investment certainty, and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects across Portugal.