Renewables meet 61% of Portugal's power demand in 2023

Portugal's renewable energy plants supplied 31.2 TWh in 2023 to meet 61% of the country's power demand last year, corresponding to the highest level ever recorded in the national grid.

Local wind parks covered about 25% of the power needs in the country, national grid operator Redes Energeticas Nacionais (REN) said on Tuesday.

Hydropower came in second with 23%, followed by solar photovoltaic (PV) with 7%, and biomass with 6%. The PV plants had a year-on-year growth of 43% due to the progressively increasing installed capacity.

This positive outcome is the result of the greater availability of renewable energy and the high import balance, supplying 20% of consumption. This is the highest mark ever and its largest share in consumption supply since 1981.

Non-renewable sources generated 10 TWh, supplying 19% of consumption. This was the lowest since 1988.

In December alone, renewables supplied 73% of Portugal's consumption, non-renewable sources covered 11%, while the remaining 16% comes from the import balance, REN noted.

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