Gazelle Wind Power, a Dublin-based floating wind developer, has secured a 10-year TUPEM (Titulo de Utilizacao Privativa do Espaco Marítimo) authorization, clearing the way for the deployment of its 2 MW Nau Azul floating wind demonstrator project off Portugal.
Issued by Portugal’s Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM), the TUPEM authorization grants Gazelle Wind Power Portugal exclusive rights to occupy and utilize a designated area of national maritime space for the installation, operation and testing of its innovative floating platform technology.
The project, to be deployed off the coast of Aguçadoura, is said to be a critical step toward demonstrating that Gazelle’s patented and modular design, developed to unlock deep-water wind energy while also lowering the levelized cost of energy.
The Nau Azul project will feature Gazelle’s patented platform, which uses a unique geometry and counterweight system that reduces steel use, significantly cutting CAPEX and simplifying industrialization.
Its compact design enables deployment from shallow ports, offering a smaller footprint and lower overall costs.
“This TUPEM authorization marks a major milestone for our business and underscores Portugal’s leadership in offshore wind and its commitment to a secure, sustainable energy future.
“Securing the TUPEM authorization allows us to launch environmental monitoring and prepare for the installation of our full-scale, grid-connected demonstrator, which will serve as a blueprint for commercial deployments worldwide. It’s a major step forward in our roadmap to commercialization,” said Jon Salazar, Gazelle Wind Power’s CEO.