Public consultation: National renewable energy targets

On September 25, 2025, the Office of the Minister of Environment and Energy launched a public consultation on the draft decree-law setting new national renewable energy targets. This decree-law aligns with Portugal’s European and international commitments to the energy transition and to decarbonizing the economy. The consultation can be accessed through the ConsultaLex platform until October 25, 2025.

This draft decree-law focuses on several key areas:

• Partial transposition of Directive (EU) 2023/2413: It partially transposes into national law Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 18, 2023, which strengthens the regulatory framework for promoting renewable energy use.
• Renewable energy goals: It sets bold targets for renewable energy in gross final energy consumption, including a minimum target of 49% by 2030, with interim goals of 40% in 2025 and 44% in 2028. These targets are slightly lower than those outlined in Portugal’s revised PNEC 2030 plan, which aimed for a 51% share by 2030.
• Sector-specific targets: The decree-law proposes targets for various sectors, including:
• seventy-five percent renewable energy in buildings by 2030;
• a 16% increase in renewable energy use in industry by 2030, including minimum thresholds for renewable hydrogen;
• forty-six percent renewable energy in the heating and cooling sector from 2025, climbing to 63% by 2029;
• twenty-nine percent renewable energy in the transport sector by 2030, with specific quotas for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin; and
• obligations for fuel suppliers to include renewable or recycled carbon fuels in road transport fuels they introduce into consumption—19% by 2027 and 28% by 2030.
• Sustainability and emission reduction standards: The decree-law includes robust criteria for sustainability and greenhouse gas reductions for the production and use of biofuels, bioliquids, biomass, renewable fuels of non-biological origin, and recycled carbon fuels. Only fuels meeting these criteria will qualify for financial support or count toward national targets.
• Traceability systems: It introduces systems for issuing guarantees of origin for electricity, heating and cooling, renewable gas, and high-efficiency cogeneration. These systems aim to promote traceability, transparency and credibility within Portugal’s energy system.
• Monitoring, inspection and reporting tools: The decree-law introduces stringent monitoring, inspection and reporting systems to ensure adherence to set targets and criteria. It also facilitates coordination with competent national and European bodies.
• International collaboration: It outlines various international cooperation mechanisms, such as statistical transfers and joint renewable energy projects with other Member States and third countries.

The draft decree-law also provides measures to make renewable solutions accessible to all consumers, particularly vulnerable families. It supports information dissemination, training and awareness programs for professionals in the sector to help Portugal tackle the challenges posed by the energy transition. 

This public consultation enables citizens, companies and other stakeholders to contribute to shaping Portugal’s energy policy, fostering a sustainable and competitive future aligned with European best practices.