Lisbon, Jan. 6, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal increased its installed renewable energy capacity by 8% in 2024 compared to the total achieved the previous year, according to figures released on Monday by APREN - the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association.
According to the organisation led by Pedro Amaral Jorge, this evolution was mainly due to the entry into operation of new photovoltaic solar plants, which accounted for 86% of the total increase.
The evolution of installed capacity contributed to the growth in electricity production from renewable sources, with the country reaching a record 80.4% year-to-date. According to REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais, the country's electricity and natural gas network manager, renewable production supplied 71% of electricity consumption in 2024.
"In short, all the power generation centres operating in mainland Portugal produced a total of 45,637 GWh [Gigawatt-hours] of electricity in 2024, 80.4% of which came from renewable sources. Renewable production will thus grow by 10.8% compared to 2023, confirming a new record for national renewable electricity generation," says APREN.
This evolution was mainly supported by three technologies: hydroelectricity, which contributed 31.9% - a new absolute maximum in the last five years (14,542 GWh); wind power, which accounted for 31% of total production; and solar photovoltaics, which accounted for 10.7% of total production, also breaking a record (4,898 GWh).
In terms of supplying consumption, the ‘green’ energy component contributed 71.5%, "confirming progress towards the 93% target of the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNEC) 2030", the association points out.
At the same time, the production of electricity from fossil fuels fell by 49% compared to 2023.
APREN explains that the figures achieved in 2024 are the result of new power stations coming into operation - corresponding to an increase of 1,509 MW (megawatts) - as well as "the significant negative variation in electricity production from fossil fuels, with a particular emphasis on the 10.7 percentage point reduction in production from natural gas".
With regard to international trade, compared to 2023, the import balance stagnated, with a variation of 2%, from 10,218 GWh in 2023 to 10,442 GWh.
According to APREN's calculations, the figures for renewable energy production contributed to savings of €2.055 billion in fossil fuel imports and €289 million in electricity imports.
With regard to greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity generation system, the association estimates a reduction of around 50% compared to 2023. In absolute terms, this decrease translates into a drop from 3.6 million tonnes of CO2 in 2023 to 1.82 million tonnes in 2024.
Despite emphasising that in 2024 the European renewable energy sector has made "significant progress", APREN points out that "factors such as the volatility of the energy component in electricity prices and the still high dependence on global supply chains affect the European industrial sector, in addition to competition with economies in the rest of the world, especially China and the United States".
"The transition to renewable energy sources, which still needs to be adapted to the market design provided for in the revision of the directive, has demonstrated the weaknesses of the daily and intraday energy market design, with more and more exposure to zero and negative prices, while at other times there are sharp price peaks, especially at times when the market closes with natural gas combined cycle power stations," reads the same statement.
In this context, the association argues that "without a rapid regulatory response and with the growth of the sector in general in perspective, this situation is expected to worsen in 2025".
SCR/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
