Brazil has established the procedure it will use to identify and prioritize areas eligible for its first offshore wind energy auctions. The methodology introduces a series of legal, technological, environmental, and economic filters to organize maritime space before enabling projects.
The process will have three stages. First, potential regions will be delimited, discarding those with legal or technological impediments. Then, areas of interest will be defined using technical-economic and socio-environmental criteria. Finally, the resulting zones will be ranked to identify the sectors with the best conditions for a future offering.
However, publication does not equate to the selection of the regions to be auctioned . The methodology establishes the evaluation mechanism, but the decision on which sectors will enter the market will remain with the granting authority, in accordance with the objectives of each round and the level of industry development.
The first phase will apply strict exclusions to Brazil's Exclusive Economic Zone. Areas with insurmountable legal restrictions, zones reserved for the Armed Forces, heavily trafficked shipping lanes, protected areas, and regions incompatible with available wind energy technologies will be excluded.
Variables such as wind speed and seabed depth will also be evaluated. Areas lacking sufficient resources or located at depths beyond the reach of available technical solutions will be discarded before proceeding to more detailed analyses.
The second stage will incorporate filters related to economic and logistical viability. These will include distance to major ports, proximity to electrical grid connection points, the characteristics of the wind resource, and the conditions necessary for installing fixed foundations or floating systems.
At the same time, areas with extreme socio-environmental sensitivity will be excluded. The analysis will consider coral reefs, Ramsar sites, areas relevant for the conservation of birds and threatened species, as well as territories linked to coastal communities and pre-existing economic activities.
The methodology will also assess the coexistence of offshore wind energy with artisanal and industrial fishing, tourism, shipping, port infrastructure, cultural heritage, and oil and gas activity.
Each component will receive a sensitivity rating on a scale of 1 to 5. Areas with the highest level will be excluded from the definition of areas of interest, while the remaining environmental and social layers will be integrated later into the prioritization process.
In the third phase, the EPE will compare the viable areas using a multi-criteria analysis. The evaluation will combine technical, economic, logistical, and socio-environmental factors to establish a ranking of the sectors with the best relative conditions.
The procedure will take into account variables that directly influence the cost of projects, such as wind quality, depth, distance to transmission infrastructure, and proximity to ports capable of receiving, storing, and assembling large components.
Greater availability of wind resources can increase production and reduce the relative cost of energy. Conversely, greater depths or distances from land can increase the cost of foundations, submarine cables, substations, and installation and maintenance.
The result of this analysis will be the so-called supply sectors, indicative areas that may be considered for the procedures for transferring the use of maritime space. These sectors should not be confused with the prisms, which are the specific polygons corresponding to each project and are delimited subsequently.
Fewer projects in the pipeline and greater pressure to reduce risks
The methodology comes after a sharp contraction in Brazil's portfolio of offshore wind projects in the licensing process.
The pipeline registered with the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources went from 96 projects and 234 GW in January 2024 to 59 initiatives and around 134 GW in February 2026.
The nearly 43% reduction coincided with the departure or withdrawal of several international developers. The adjustment eliminated some of the more speculative projects, but also highlighted the need for clearer rules, areas of focus, and economic signals before mobilizing new investments.
The new process seeks to reduce this uncertainty from the earliest stages. By identifying legal, environmental, and territorial conflicts beforehand, Brazil aims to lessen the risk of projects being halted after progress has been made in studies, permits, and commercial agreements.
The methodology also incorporates instances of institutional and social participation. The proposal received input from organizations that are part of the Working Group on Offshore Wind Energy and contributions submitted during Public Consultation 191/2025.
The implementation of the scheme will include informational meetings in the Northeast, Southeast and South regions, as well as workshops with fishing and coastal communities and a new instance of public consultation on the preliminary sectors.
The government also plans to publish georeferenced maps, sensitivity layers, and technical data sheets for the analyzed areas. The goal is to improve access to information and reduce the disparities between authorities, communities, and potential developers.
The future selection process must be coordinated with the planning of ports, transmission networks, and supporting land-based facilities. Without this infrastructure, even areas with good wind resources could face difficulties in achieving competitive conditions.
The methodology allows for several months to complete the filters and analyses. Identifying potential regions would take between four and five months, while the socio-environmental mapping, the definition of areas of interest, and the final prioritization would be carried out partially in parallel.
The market maintains the expectation that the first auction of maritime areas can be held in 2027. However, the selection of sectors, the corresponding consultations and the definition of the economic and contractual conditions of the round must be completed beforehand.
Brazil now has a framework for managing its offshore wind potential, but the next step will be to translate that methodology into concrete areas and bankable projects. The publication reduces some regulatory risk, although the specific zones, the final timeline, and the model the country will use to attract investment are still pending.