APREN head says €60bn in green investment is stuck in Portugal

Speaking at a conference marking the first anniversary of Jornal PT Green, APREN president Joaquim Barbosa said Portugal must move from setting renewable energy targets to actually delivering them. He cited an APREN study with NOVA SBE and Lobo Carmona showing around €60 billion in investment blocked by licensing and grid-related barriers, roughly 20% of GDP, and warned that Portugal's renewables sector already faces a heavier tax burden than other strategic sectors and than renewables abroad. He called for regulatory stability, faster licensing and closer engagement with local communities, and warned that misinformation is one of the biggest threats to the energy transition.