Transforming renewable potential into economic development
Message from the President – September 2026
We know that Portugal has renewable resources, companies prepared to invest, technical expertise, and clear goals. However, a significant gap remains between what the country aims to achieve and the conditions offered to those who have to transform that ambition into concrete projects.
It is in this gap between ambition and execution that APREN works, as an association responsible for representing the interests of the sector, actively participating in the development of energy policies in Portugal.
When we advocate for renewable energy, we are not just defending a sector. We are defending an activity that creates wealth and jobs, reduces energy costs and dependence on foreign sources, and simultaneously contributes to mitigating climate change.
The study on the impact of renewable energies in Portugal gives concrete dimension to this contribution. In 2024, renewables represented €5.34 billion of GDP, more than 1% of the national economy. Renewable production also made it possible to avoid the import of fossil fuels, with an average annual saving of around €2.4 billion.
This is perhaps the best way to define our sector: an economy with a cause. An economy that generates value for Portugal while contributing to a more sustainable, resilient, and energy-independent future.
This impact should not be seen merely as an achieved result. It is a future opportunity that the country cannot afford to miss. The study points to a potential growth of over 370% in the contribution of renewables to GDP by 2040, but makes it clear that this potential depends on the creation of structural conditions, particularly in licensing, networks, storage, and investment.
That is why licensing and taxation will be among the top priorities.
In the licensing process, APREN will continue to work towards providing regulatory stability. This implies helping to create simpler, more predictable, coordinated, and digitized processes, properly trained public entities, and deadlines compatible with the objectives defined by the State itself. The one-stop shop, a promise made several years ago, remains uncreated, and its absence continues to break the fulfillment of this renewable promise.
Taxation will also be of crucial importance. The study on the tax burden of renewables, authored by Nova SBE and Lobo Carmona and launched last July, made visible the sector's tax contribution, estimated at €1.11 billion in 2024, but also the weight of a tax and parafiscal burden that affects competitiveness and investor confidence.
APREN will continue to advocate for fair, predictable taxation that is favorable to the energy transition. This is not about claiming exceptional treatment, but about demanding consistency between the goals the country sets and the conditions it offers to companies called upon to achieve them. Disproportionate, cumulative, or unpredictable burdens compromise the bankability of projects, discourage investment, and limit the economic, environmental, and fiscal value that the sector can generate.
Licensing and taxation are directly linked to the viability of investments. PPAs, CFDs, storage, hybridization, and other revenue stabilization mechanisms will be essential to reduce risk and mobilize capital. Strengthening, modernizing, and digitizing networks should also occupy a central place on the public agenda. The network cannot become a barrier to investment or a limit to national goals.
On the demand side, it will be crucial to accelerate the electrification of industry, transport, and buildings, as well as to create conditions for the development of new electricity-intensive activities, such as data centers. APREN will contribute to ensuring that this need is recognized in public policies and that the increased demand for renewable electricity is accompanied by new production and grid capacity, transforming the availability of clean and competitive energy into an economic advantage for Portugal.
The transition will still have to proceed in balance with biodiversity and in dialogue with the territories. There are concrete challenges on the ground, which require rigorous assessment, scientific knowledge, clear communication and the involvement of the populations. But it is important not to confuse these challenges with a lack of social support for renewable energies.
The survey "Renewable Energies: Perception and Attitudes of the Portuguese," conducted by Marktest for APREN, reveals that 95% of respondents, aged between 15 and 64 and residing in mainland Portugal, support sustainable renewable projects in their localities. It also shows that 91% advocate for a greater investment in renewables at the expense of fossil fuels.
Therefore, there are reasons to face the future with confidence. A very significant part of the population recognizes the value of renewables and wants Portugal to accelerate: 90% of those surveyed believe that the country should prioritize the installation of more projects. The most valued benefits are the reduction in the cost of electricity and the fight against climate change, both identified as very relevant by 66% of participants.
This support should not, however, be taken for granted. On the one hand, and despite the encouraging figures, misinformation is rampant, and it is necessary to establish strategies to combat it effectively. On the other hand, trust in the promoter and community involvement are among the most valued factors in planning new projects. This reinforces the sector's responsibility in promoting good practices, transparent processes, and a closer relationship with municipalities and populations.
The sector has demonstrated its value to the economy, to consumers, to the territories, and to the environment. It has also shown that it enjoys significant social support, albeit with challenges related to misinformation. It is now up to us to help deliver on this potential and this confidence through better decisions and effective conditions for investment.
Because Portugal needs our energy.
Joaquim Barbosa
President of the Board of Directors of APREN
