Portugal Breaks New Records in Wind Power and Pumping

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 27, Between January and October, renewable energies supplied 72% of electricity consumption in Portugal. During this period, hydroelectric energy was responsible for supplying 30% of consumption, wind energy 26%, photovoltaic energy 10% and biomass 6%.

According to the latest data from REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, the electrical system set new historical records in renewables this Sunday, November 24, with wind production reaching 110.4 GWh and hydroelectric pumping reaching 41.7 GWh.

Regarding wind production, thanks to the strong and constant wind throughout the day, the total of 110.4 GWh surpassed the previous record of 108.0 GWh, recorded on October 17, 2023.

The wind energy produced last Sunday accounted for 86% of national consumption. This year, the cumulative production of this renewable energy represents 27% of national consumption, while solar energy contributed around 10%.

In addition, the high availability of renewable energy sources in both Portugal and Spain led to the highest use of pumped hydropower ever recorded in Portugal on the same day, totalling 41.7 GWh. This value is 24% higher than the previous record of 33.7 GWh, recorded on 1 May 2024.

The new record for pumped hydropower demonstrates the ability of the National Electricity System to adapt to the increased availability of renewable energy in the Iberian Peninsula.

Between January and October, renewable energy supplied 72% of electricity consumption in Portugal. During this period, hydropower was responsible for supplying 30% of consumption, wind energy 26%, photovoltaic energy 10% and biomass 6%. Natural gas production supplied 9% of consumption, while the remaining 19% was imported energy.

Compared to the first 10 months of 2023, there was an increase in electricity consumption of 1.9%, or 2.3%, correcting for temperature and working days. It should be noted that, until the end of October, natural gas consumption registered an annual decline of 21%, with a 66% drop in the electricity production segment and a 3% growth in the conventional segment. Overall, for this period, this is the lowest gas consumption since 2004.

In October, renewable production supplied 68% of consumption, non-renewable production 10%, while the remaining 22% was imported energy. In October, conditions were particularly favorable for hydroelectric and wind production, with producibility indices of 1.76 and 1.27, respectively (historical average of 1).

In the case of photovoltaics, the producibility index did not exceed 0.77 (historical average of 1), which is the lowest index in the REN records for the month of October since 2010. This month there was an increase in electricity consumption, with an annual variation of 3.1%, or 1.8% correcting the effects of temperature and the number of working days.