Cross-Border Virtual Office
The Cross-Border Virtual Office of the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion is your gateway to developing industrial projects related to offshore wind power. Designed to attract and promote strategic initiatives, it offers advisory services, training, and technological support, all coordinated with institutions, associations, universities, and centres involved in the AOWINDE project. It is a key support hub for growth in a sector with significant potential.
How Can We Assist You?
We support you from the very beginning with personalised advice that starts with a thorough diagnosis of your project, whether it’s a new business or an expansion. We assess your situation and evaluate the best alternatives to help you make informed strategic decisions. We provide tailored solutions in areas such as location, financing, technology, training, and more, to propel your project forward with confidence.
Areas of expertise
Location – Business Premises and Associated Regulations
We help you identify the most suitable locations for your industrial project within the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion. Our team provides clear answers to your questions about regulations and legal requirements, streamlining the implementation process. Make strategic decisions with reliable, up-to-date information.
Public Funding
Access our digital map of public aid and explore funding opportunities tailored to your industrial projects. We provide personalised guidance to help you identify the most suitable public funding sources available in the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion. Accelerate your growth with the right financial support.
Technology Services Panel
We offer advanced technological services delivered by universities and technology centres involved in the AOWINDE project. Support the development of your industrial projects with innovative, tailored solutions. Collaborate with experts to accelerate your technological and competitive progress.
Talent and Training
We offer specialised training programmes designed to develop talent in key industries across the offshore wind energy value chain. Tailored to meet the sector’s needs, our programmes combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Get ready to lead in one of the most promising energy markets.
Entrepreneurship and Internationalisation
Take your business to the next level with our tailored advisory services in entrepreneurship and internationalisation. We support you at every stage — from setting up your company to expanding into global markets. Connect with new markets and maximise your growth through personalised strategies.
Potential of the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion
Access key communication and promotional tools to support collaborative projects in offshore wind energy. Resources such as the Virtual Pilot, the Capacity Map, and the Sales Notebook are at your disposal. Assess the visibility and strategic value of the Euroregion as a leading reference in this growing sector, and connect with a network of key stakeholders.
The Virtual Pilot is a tool that uses georeferenced data to estimate the potential of a floating wind farm based on its location and size. It provides key outputs, including economic variables and material requirements, to support informed decision-making.
We address your real needs through practical case studies that focus on key situations in the business environment.
Are you looking to launch a new company, expand your project, or attract investment?
Do you need technology partners, support with digitalisation, talent acquisition, or assistance with international expansion?
Our team provides specific, tailored advice to help you establish and grow successfully within the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion.
Services offered by project partners
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Advisory service |
Description |
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Planning and development of cross-border collaborative projects |
The Secretaría Xeral de Industria (SXI) is a partner in the AOWINDE interregional cooperation project, together with the other nine entities that make up the consortium |
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Experimental platform for marine renewable energy – Punta Langosteira |
The proposal from the Consellería de Economía e Industria, through the Galician Energy Institute (INEGA), aims to foster new development opportunities in an environment recognised by industry specialists as a benchmark. They regard the experimental platform as an ideal space for testing, installation, and maintenance of devices, as well as for validating designs, material components, and their technical and economic viability. The Punta Langosteira offshore wind experimental platform aligns with the objectives of the Galician Climate Change and Energy Strategy 2050 and the Galician Energy Agenda 2030 |
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Business area |
We develop business competitiveness programmes, advise on business opportunities, provide financial incentives for the implementation of business projects in Galicia, and support Galician companies throughout their internationalisation process |
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Energy area |
We promote initiatives to encourage the rational use of energy, optimising its management in different economic fields, and we develop actions to improve energy research in Galicia |
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Business floor area |
Competences for the development of measures aimed at facilitating the availability of commercial land, enabling the establishment of new businesses in the Autonomous Community of Galicia, or the expansion of existing ones, as well as the proposal of provisions for the establishment, development and management of commercial land policy in the Autonomous Community of Galicia, its implementation and evaluation |
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Industry area |
We manage specific registers for companies, training institutions, licences, and professional qualifications related to industrial safety, as well as the installation, expansion, and relocation of industries and industrial facilities |
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Advisory service |
Description |
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Advice on innovation programmes and grants |
· Management, leadership and participation in European, national and regional projects · Revitalisation of the metal sector value chain in Galicia · Management of business investment grants and analysis of compliance · Management, advice and dissemination of aid · Information point for the CDTI’s PIDI Network to promote innovation and technological development in Galicia |
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Foreign trade advice |
· Development of internationalisation projects · Presence at relevant trade fairs and exhibitions abroad · Advice on taxation, international transport, trade and customs regulations, and subsidies |
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Legal advice |
· Resolution of legal and administrative queries |
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Advice on occupational risk prevention |
· Resolution of queries related to compliance with specific regulations on occupational risk prevention · Training required to carry out work in different subsectors or adaptation of protective equipment · Health and safety solutions |
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Innovation projects |
· Projects and innovation department, specialising in Industry 4.0 technologies and innovative solutions to improve competitiveness |
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Career and employment guidance |
· Promotion of job placement in the metal sector through worker training and specialisation · Career advice and guidance, along with the development of Personalised Integration Plans (PIPs) · Collaborating centre of the Galician Public Employment Service, promoting employment through integrated programmes and a job bank that supports member companies in meeting their staffing needs |
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Training |
· Training initiatives aimed at promoting skills development and competitiveness in the metal sector and related technologies · Support for entering the job market |
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Advisory service |
Description |
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Business consulting | Business Hosting Real Estate & Business Consultant |
Identification and support for land acquisition for new business units |
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Land management and sustainability |
Guidance on licensing processes for buildings and economic activities |
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Economic development |
Incentives for economic activity / monitoring of investment contracts signed between investors and the municipality |
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Advisory service |
Description |
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Legal consultancy |
· Labour Law · Tax Law · Commercial Law · Social Security Law |
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Technical services/information |
· Environmental Area · Health and safety · Industrial Property · Support in the process of registering trademarks; patents and utility models; and industrial designs · Company certification / CE marking (support and technical information) |
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Economic consultancy |
· Attracting investment · Business opportunities · Preparation of investment projects · Business plans · Preparation of sectoral studies |
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Training and awareness-raising |
· Legal (Collective Labour Agreements) · Economic/Fiscal · Health and safety · Industrial licences · Industrial licences (support/advice) |
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International promotion |
· Participation in international trade fairs and forums · Business Missions · Technology Visits · Sector analysis / Market research · Promotion with Chambers of Commerce/International Organisations |
Technology service
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Technology service |
Description |
| Hydrodynamic Testing Channel | Conducting tests with scale models of ships and devices, in both calm waters and wave conditions |
| Wind tunnel | Aerodynamic testing |
| Automation and monitoring of industrial processes | Design and monitoring of automated industrial processes |
| Feasibility study of industrial processes | Economic analysis of industrial projects |
| Organisation of production and logistics | Design, simulation and optimisation of production and logistics processes |
| Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Fluid Flows in Industrial Processes | CFD modelling, structural analysis, and simulation of aerodynamic-marine interactions |
| Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Structures | Study of structural behaviour in joints, simulation of mobile mechanical systems, and development of physical prototypes |
| Mechanical, rheological, chemical and thermal analysis of materials | Microstructural, chemical and mechanical characterisation of materials |
| Development of new materials for specific industrial applications | Study of structural and thermodynamic behaviour and characterisation of new polymeric compounds |
| Naval and offshore engineering | Study and design of naval and offshore manufacturing processes. Application of new technologies in the naval industry |
| Maritime safety | Start-up and operational analysis in terms of safety |
| Port and coastal basin | Multidirectional and unidirectional wave generation system for studying protective structures |
| Wave Channel | Equipped with a blade system that enables the generation of waves in both shallow and deep water |
| Aerodynamic and Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel | Two independent wind tunnels designed to conduct aerodynamic and aeroelastic tests, simulating either uniform flow or conditions representative of the atmospheric boundary layer |
| Numerical and experimental analysis of structures | Computational modelling of complex structural problems in static and dynamic conditions. It has a drop tower for impact testing |
| Construction laboratory | Specialising in large-scale structural testing, adhesion between concrete and active and passive steel, and concrete with recycled aggregates |
| Numerical modelling | Development and implementation of numerical methods for engineering problems. Development of high-performance codes for the simulation of processes related to computational mechanics. Optimal design of support structures for offshore wind power generation facilities |
| Rock mechanics | Evaluation of mechanical and transport properties of rocks. The laboratory is equipped with the necessary instruments to conduct a wide range of experiments and tests in rock mechanics, petrophysics, civil engineering, and energy engineering—including hydrocarbons, gas storage, and geological CO₂ sequestration |
| Scientific platform for urban runoff testing | A 100 m² installation designed to measure and analyse the process of transforming rainfall into urban surface runoff. It features a street section with an intersection, roofs of various types and slopes (both conventional and equipped with sustainable drainage systems), and a network of accessible pipes connected by manholes, all instrumented to simulate a city’s sewerage system. The installation also includes a large, realistic rain simulator |
Training service
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Training service |
Description |
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Bachelor’s Degree in Naval and Ocean Engineering |
Degree |
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Master’s Degree in Naval and Ocean Engineering |
Master’s degree |
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Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Technologies |
Degree |
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Technology service |
Description |
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Characterisation of offshore materials and components |
· Characterisation of materials. Testing and analysis of durability, corrosion and ageing in marine conditions |
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Design of offshore power generation and conversion systems |
· Generators and converters adapted to variable speeds and extreme operating conditions |
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Physical modelling and simulation |
· Model development, implementation in simulation codes (aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, fluid-structure interaction in offshore environments). Simulation of system behaviour under real operating conditions (waves, wind, currents, FSI) |
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Combustion, emissions and test bench trials |
· Integration of clean combustion technologies in marine environments · Evaluation of alternative fuels, emissions, and engine testing for auxiliary applications |
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Application of machine learning in offshore wind systems |
· Predictive modelling of component behaviour, fault diagnosis, optimisation, support for component and system operation using AI and data analysis |
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Environmental impact and sustainability studies |
· Life cycle analysis, carbon footprint, environmental impact (noise, traffic, use) and sustainability indicators for offshore wind farms |
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Characterisation of technical fluids and refrigerants |
· Analysis of thermal and flow properties of offshore refrigerants and technical fluids |
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Advanced component design for offshore wind power. Electronic simulation of conversion and control systems |
· Optimised thermal and electrical design of efficient and robust converters adapted to the marine environment · Detailed simulation of the electronic behaviour of embedded conversion systems |
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I+D in recycling and the circular economy |
· Development of recycling processes and circular strategies for offshore materials and components. Reuse and recovery of electronic and structural components |
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Offshore energy hybridisation |
· Design of hybrid systems that integrate wind power with hydrogen, wave power or solar power |
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Offshore O&M digitalisation and automation |
· Use of digital twins, sensors, and aerial drones for efficient and automated O&M |
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Storage systems and management of intermittency |
· Integration and control of smart storage (batteries, hydrogen, thermal) in marine environments |
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Site assessment and logistics |
· Assessment of wind potential and meteorological-oceanographic analysis for site selection |
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Cybersecurity |
· Protection of critical offshore infrastructure with cryptography and privacy solutions |
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Digital services |
· Intelligent management of offshore infrastructure through AI and data analysis |
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Advanced communications |
· Connectivity for offshore wind farms via 5G, optics, satellites and emerging technologies |
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Technical support and marine advice |
· Conducting experimental cultivation, providing technical advice on experimentation with marine organisms |
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· Support for accessing coastal ecosystems |
· Sampling, underwater work, diving equipment |
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Advanced oceanographic equipment |
· Marine environment studies using advanced sensors: CTD, sonar, echo sounders |
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Oceanography and mesocosm service |
· Continuous observation and conducting oceanographic studies in the marine environment |
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Structural analysis |
· Analysis using mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray diffraction |
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Nanotechnology and surface analysis |
· X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), proximity microscopy, and nanoindentation · Mechanical and optical profilometry for detailed surface analysis |
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Electron microscopy |
· Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) |
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Remote Sensing |
· Remote sensing services for environmental, agricultural and land management applications |
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Food security and sustainable development |
· Analysis using atomic absorption, molecular spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques · Assessment of contaminants and quality in food and environmental products |
Technology service
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Technology service |
Description |
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Services for offshore wind energy
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· Suitability studies of large underwater areas for offshore renewable energy: Verification, mapping and classification for the pre-installation of offshore renewable energy · Verification of the condition of aerial and submerged structures: inspection and mapping using sonar, laser, and/or video technologies, applicable to footings, moorings, cables, wind farms, and photovoltaic panels · Studies on the impact of offshore RES on local fauna: acoustic monitoring of the environment around offshore wind farms |
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Advanced studies for offshore wind energy
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· Technical and economic feasibility studies for offshore applications: offshore renewable energy, battery storage, and green hydrogen · Offshore wind farm infrastructure: Studies of accommodation capacity by TSO, studies to estimate restrictions, optimised electrical layout of offshore wind farms, compliance with the grid code |
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Proof of concept, testing and validation, test bed implementations
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· Digital substation testing, suitable for offshore applications: Real-time simulation and HIL testing · Aguçadoura offshore test bed: The offshore test bed is a fully equipped ocean platform designed to host RES technology and pilot projects, integrated with the DSO network at 15 kV |
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Technology transfer services |
· LIDAR technology for infrastructure assessment, e.g. for offshore wind turbine blades · Photonic technology for infrastructure assessment, e.g. for offshore wind turbine blades · Artificial Intelligence technology for predictive maintenance, aimed at assessing faults in offshore wind farm components · Management applications, suitable for optimised operation of fully integrated RES, H2 and energy storage assets |
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Support for entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives
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· Innovation acceleration services · Empowering corporations, start-ups, and early-stage entrepreneurs to co-create and launch impactful and sustainable solutions, business ecosystems, and drive sustainable transformation |
Training service
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Training service |
Description |
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Training in the technical aspects of offshore wind energy, focusing on electrical systems and their components
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· System components and key technologies · Grid integration and power transmission · Operation · Market share · Resilience · Maintenance |
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Technology service |
Description |
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Product testing
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· Testing according to customer specifications/standards · Energy efficiency of equipment · Testing of components for hydraulic and gas networks · Mechanical strength and safety tests on metal structures
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Materials and component testing
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· Corrosion and marine environment resistance tests · Mechanical characterisation of metals (hardness, tensile strength, impact, compression) · Coating tests (adhesion, thickness, degradation) · Climate testing (temperature, humidity, thermal shock)
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Applied metrology (industrial)
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· 3D coordinate measurement · Industrial computed tomography (non-destructive testing) · Calibration of relevant quantities (force, pressure, vibration, etc.) · Calibration and on-site testing
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CE marking (machinery, construction products)
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· Conformity assessment and certification of machinery and equipment · CE marking of metal products and components (EN 1090) · Certification of solid fuel components and gas valves
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Quality and innovation
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· Implementation of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001) · EN 1090 conformity assessment for steel structures · Production efficiency (Lean Manufacturing, FMEA, SPC) · Welding qualifications (in collaboration with ESE)
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Environment and sustainability
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· Energy audits and energy efficiency plans · Carbon footprint calculation (ISO 14064 / 14067) · Life cycle assessments (LCA), eco-design and circular economy · Environmental and industrial licences, CBAM · Environmental monitoring (gas emissions, noise, wastewater)
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Safety of machinery and installations
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· Assessment of compliance with the Machinery Directive · Risk assessment, control system analysis ·Cable installation and compliance with ATEX requirements for explosive atmospheres · Training and technical knowledge
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Standardisation and business intelligence
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· Support for compliance with technical and regulatory standards · International technical and regulatory oversight · Assistance in identifying regulations applicable to new products and markets |
EXAMPLE
A company in the metal sector, with the potential to pivot towards offshore wind components, is planning an industrial expansion project. This requires a preliminary product development phase, as well as a training and reskilling programme to meet the new demands of the offshore wind market in the Euroregion.
