Solar energy breaks records and supplies 15% of electricity consumption in Portugal – Energy

According to the latest data from REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, released this Thursday, in In July, solar energy production in Portugal reached, for the first time ever, 15% of monthly electricity consumption. With regard to all renewables, in that month they supplied 53% of the country’s electricity consumption.

In the first seven months of the year, renewable production supplied 78% of consumptiondivided between hydroelectric with 36%, wind with 27%, photovoltaic with 9% and biomass with 6%. Natural gas production supplied 8% of consumption while the remaining 14% corresponded to imported energy.

In addition to the 15% solar, In July, hydroelectric production accounted for 14% of consumption, wind power for 18% and biomass for the remaining 6%. Non-renewable production accounted for 9%, with 38% being supplied by imported energy.

Also looking at July alone, the consumption of electricity supplied from the public grid increased by 3.6%, compared to the same period in 2023, or 2.6% correcting for the effects of temperature and number of working days.

The hydroelectric productivity index registered 1.32 in July (historical average equal to 1). The solar regime was practically in line with the average values, with an index of 1.01, while wind power registered 0.89.

In the first seven months of the year, consumption rose 1.9% compared to the same period of the previous year, or 2.5% when correcting for temperature and working days.

In the period from January to July, the hydroelectric productivity index reached 1.33, the wind productivity index 1.04 and the solar productivity index 0.95.
In terms of natural gas, consumption of natural gas recorded a year-on-year contraction of 33% in July, with drops of 76% in the electricity production segment and 1.3% in the conventional segment, which covers the remaining consumers.

In the first seven months of the year, annual cumulative natural gas consumption fell 21%the result of a 2.7% growth in the conventional segment and a 68% drop in the electricity market.

National supply was carried out entirely from the Sines LNG terminal, with the balance of trade through the interconnection with Spain recording an export balance equivalent to 44% of national consumption.