Portugal sees largest amount of energy provided by renewable production
Renewable energies accounted for 61% of electricity consumption in Portugal in 2023, totalling 31.2 Terawatt-hours (TWh), the highest figure ever recorded in the country.
According to Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), the company managing Portugal’s electricity and gas networks, wind energy supplied 25% of consumption, hydroelectric 23%, photovoltaics 7% and biomass 6%.
There was also a 70% year-on-year increase in hydroelectric production, as well as a 43% increase in photovoltaic production, due to the “progressive increase in installed capacity.”
Non-renewable production supplied only 19% of consumption, totalling 10 TWh, the lowest figure since 1988.
“This is due not only to the greater availability of renewable energy, but also to the high import balance, which supplied 20% of consumption, the highest figure ever and its largest share in supplying consumption since 1981,” REN pointed out.
Electricity consumption supplied from the public grid in 2023 totalled 50.7 TWh, an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous year, the highest consumption since 2018 and around 3% of the all-time high recorded in the national system in 2010.
Regarding natural gas, overall consumption in 2023 was the lowest since 2014, reaching 49 TWh, which represents a 21% decrease on the previous year, the result of a 42% reduction in the electricity production segment and a 3% decrease in the conventional segment.
Supply to the national system in 2023 was mainly from the port of Sines terminal, with 95% of the total natural gas entering Portugal, the remaining 5% being received through the interconnection with Spain.
The gas unloaded at Sines originated mainly in Nigeria and the United States, which accounted for 42% and 40% of national supply respectively.
In December, gas consumption continued the downward trend seen throughout the year, with an overall year-on-year decrease of 11.5%, with a drop of 51% in the electricity market, partially offset by growth of 10% in the conventional segment.
Source: LUSA
