In the first ten months of this year, Portugal saw renewable energy sources supply a remarkable 72% of the nation’s electricity consumption. During this period, hydropower accounted for 30% of demand, wind energy contributed 26%, solar power made up 10%, and biomass supplied an additional 6%. Natural gas production covered 9% of the demand, with the remaining 19% met through imported energy.

Compared to the same period in 2023, electricity consumption increased by 1.9%, or 2.3% when adjusted for temperature and working days. A notable decline in natural gas usage was also observed, with an overall year-on-year decrease of 21%. The drop was driven by a 66% reduction in natural gas used for electricity generation, while the conventional sector saw a 3% increase. This makes the period’s natural gas consumption the lowest since 2004.

In October alone, renewable energy supplied 68% of Portugal’s electricity needs, with non-renewable sources providing 10% and imports covering the remaining 22%. Favorable conditions led to higher productivity for both hydropower and wind energy, with productivity indices at 1.76 and 1.27, respectively (with a historical average of 1). In contrast, solar productivity fell to 0.77, the lowest October level recorded by Portugal’s energy transmission operator REN since 2010.

Electricity consumption in October rose by 3.1% compared to the previous year, or by 1.8% when adjusted for temperature and the number of working days. Natural gas consumption continued its downward trend, with a 5.4% year-on-year decrease. Specifically, natural gas use for electricity generation dropped by 47%, partly offset by a 15.7% rise in consumption within the conventional segment, which includes residential and commercial clients. The country’s national supply system continued to rely exclusively on the Sines LNG terminal for natural gas imports.

These figures underscore Portugal's steady progress in transitioning toward renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, marking a significant step toward sustainability and energy independence.

Source: REN