Gazelle Wind Power secures authorisation to test two-MW floating wind demonstrator off Portugal

Gazelle Wind Power has won approval for a 10-year site license off the coast of Aguçadoura, Portugal, clearing the way for the deployment of its two-megawatt floating wind demonstrator project.

Issued by Portugal’s Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM), the authorisation grants Gazelle Wind Power Portugal exclusive rights to occupy and utilise a designated area of national maritime space for the installation, operation and testing of its floating platform technology.

"The project is a critical step toward demonstrating that Gazelle’s patented, lightweight, and modular design can unlock deep-water wind energy while also lowering the levelized cost of energy," said Gazelle.

"This project showcases the company’s next-generation floating offshore wind technology, which is aimed at unlocking deep-water wind resources to strengthen Europe’s energy security through scalable renewable power."

The project will feature Gazelle’s patented platform, which uses a geometry and counterweight system that reduces steel use.

Its design enables deployment from shallow ports, potentially offering a smaller footprint and lower overall costs. The project site, located in Aguçadoura, previously hosted WindFloat 1, one of Europe’s earliest floating wind pilot projects.

“Securing the [authorisation] 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," commented Gazelle Wind Power CEO, Jon Salazar.