Penningtons Manches Cooper advises on launch of Spain’s first offshore floating solar platform
Specialist lawyers at the Madrid office of Penningtons Manches Cooper have advised BlueNewables and Astilleros San Enrique on the launch of Spain’s first offshore floating solar platform, marking a major milestone in the development of marine floating solar energy in Europe.
Known as Paiporta – after the town that suffered the most devastating consequences of the flooding in Valencia in 2024 – the new platform combines technological innovation and naval engineering.
Designed and developed by Canary Islands-based BlueNewables, a business dedicated to advancing solutions for offshore wind and floating solar infrastructure, the platform demonstrates the significant potential of marine environments to contribute to the energy transition through renewable energy generation. It is expected to become the largest grid-connected marine floating solar installation in Europe, and among the largest of its kind worldwide.
The PV-bos technology unlocks opportunities for renewable electricity generation in coastal regions, industrial ports and island communities previously isolated from traditional solar developments. In the long term, the project is expected to establish marine energy as a widely adopted renewable energy technology while creating opportunities for broader commercial deployment across global markets.
The Penningtons Manches Cooper team, led by partner Gonzalo Alvar alongside senior associate Javier Herreros, acted as legal advisers to both BlueNewables and Astilleros San Enrique in Vigo, the shipyard behind the initiative. Partner Victor Mata assisted on all contractual issues related to the towing and mooring of the platform.
Victor Mata commented: “We are delighted to have advised BlueNewables. It was also a privilege to accompany the team to the arrival of Paiporta and witness first-hand an initiative that brings together technological innovation, naval engineering and the energy transition. Congratulations to everyone at BlueNewables for this important achievement and for the outstanding work that made it possible.”
Bernardino Couñago, BlueNewables CEO, added: “We want to thank Victor and the PMC team for their invaluable advice and support. Our ambition extends beyond building a successful demonstrator. We aim to help establish marine floating solar as a recognised and bankable renewable energy technology, opening a new pathway for decarbonisation in coastal regions and creating a scalable solution for countries where the energy transition is constrained by land availability.”
The project is the latest in a series of matters undertaken by Penningtons Manches Cooper’s Madrid office driven by sustainability and the energy transition. Its previous work includes advising on the implementation of the Spanish Tax Lease structure, follow up of the shipbuilding contracts and assistance during the delivery and acceptance process of Europe’s first hybrid high-speed passenger ferries (a series of nine units) built by Astilleros Armón to our Italian client Liberty Lines.