Renewable energy plays a big role in Portugal’s energy sector. In 2023, the country’s
stood at 0.95 exajoules, with renewables accounting for over 35 percent of that amount. In the electricity sector, renewables hold a much larger share. Portugal’s
has been growing steadily in the last years, surpassing 18 gigawatts in 2023. This represents a share of over 86 percent of the total installed capacity in the country. This growing trend is expected to accelerate in the upcoming years.
Portugal's renewable energy targets
Although Portugal has invested heavily in renewables in the last years, fossil fuels still remain an important source of energy. In 2022, in the midst of the
global energy crisis, Portugal decided to accelerate its energy transition plans, aiming for a renewable power generation share of 80 percent by 2026, four years earlier than previously planned. Additionally, the country plans to reach a
renewable power production of 100 percent by 2030 and increase the total share of renewables in final energy consumption to 51 percent in that same year. This will help to increase energy security in the country, as Portugal currently relies heavily on fossil fuel imports to meet its energy needs. Furthermore, it will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and aid in achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Renewable energy sources
Portugal has an extensive coastline, substantial water resources, and is among the European countries with the most hours of sunshine. This makes the country an ideal location for the implementation of renewables. Currently, hydropower is the
renewable technology with the largest capacity installed, followed by wind power. Solar photovoltaic comes in third, with an installed capacity of roughly 2.6 gigawatts as of end of 2023. Although Portugal's solar power generation is still small in comparison to wind and hydropower, it is growing rapidly, and has in recent years experienced the greatest growth of any renewable technology in the country. Between 2020 and 2023,
Portugal's solar photovoltaic capacity more than tripled.
The future of renewables in Portugal
Portugal is one of the
countries with the highest renewable energy penetrationin Europe. With an already established renewable energy sector and ambitious targets for the upcoming years, renewables in Portugal are forecast to continue growing at a rapid pace.
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