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Portugal’s gas consumption slides as renewables dominate power generation

A Portuguese tile pattern that includes wind turbines, which deliver clean energy.
Graphic: Sean Creighton/The Progress Playbook

Portugal’s fossil gas consumption has fallen sharply in 2024 thanks to the country’s increasing reliance on renewable energy technologies in the power sector.

Domestic renewable energy technologies supplied 73% of Portugal’s electricity needs during the first three quarters of 2024, according to grid operator REN. Solar comprised 10% of the mix, with output up 35% from a year before. Hydropower met 31% of demand, wind 26%, and biomass 6%.

Plants that burn fossil gas accounted for just 8% of the mix, while the remaining 19% came from imported energy, mostly from Spain, which also gets around three-quarters of its power from clean energy technologies.

As a result, Portugal’s total gas consumption was down 23% over the nine-month period, compared to a year before. A 68% drop in use in the electricity market was partly offset by a 2.1% increase in the conventional market, which includes heavy industry.

The country’s electricity mix has rapidly evolved, with the share of renewables up from 27% in 2005 and 54% in 2017. The last coal-fired power plant was shut in 2021.

The transition has been underpinned by a power procurement programme that favours low-cost projects.

Portugal plans to get to 80% renewable electricity on an annual basis by 2026, and 85% by 2030.

Tags: Renewables
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