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Nearly 75% of Portugal’s Electricity Comes from Renewables, Strengthening the Country’s Economic Advantages
15 Sept 2026, 22:30
Renewable energy continues to account for a significant share of electricity generation in Portugal. According to the latest data from the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association (APREN), 74.4% of electricity generated in mainland Portugal between January and August 2026 came from renewable sources.
In August alone, total electricity generation in mainland Portugal reached 3,320 gigawatt-hours (GWh), of which 2,298 GWh came from renewable sources, representing 69.2% of total generation for the month.
By energy source, solar and wind were the leading contributors to renewable electricity generation in August. Solar accounted for 23.7% of total electricity generation in mainland Portugal, maintaining its leading position, while wind contributed 23.3%. Hydropower represented 14.9%, followed by biomass at 7.3%.
The increasingly balanced contribution of solar and wind power also highlights the growing diversification of Portugal’s renewable energy mix.
Renewables Fully Covered Electricity Demand During Certain Periods
As Portugal’s renewable generation capacity continues to expand, the country is increasingly able to meet its electricity needs entirely from renewable sources during certain periods.
According to APREN, renewable electricity generation was sufficient to fully cover electricity consumption in mainland Portugal for 14 hours in August alone.
Over the first eight months of the year, renewable generation fully met mainland Portugal’s electricity demand for a cumulative 707 non-consecutive hours—equivalent to almost 30 days.
At the European level, Portugal ranked fourth among the eight countries analysed by APREN in terms of the share of electricity generated from renewable sources between January and August 2026, behind only Norway, Denmark and Austria, maintaining its position among Europe’s stronger performers in renewable electricity generation.
Renewables Save More Than €1 Billion in Energy Import Costs
The development of renewable energy is not only reducing Portugal’s dependence on conventional energy sources but is also delivering significant economic benefits.
According to APREN estimates, between January and August 2026, renewable electricity generation helped Portugal avoid approximately €809 million in natural gas imports and €374 million in electricity imports, representing combined savings of more than €1.1 billion.
In addition, the reduced use of fossil fuels resulted in estimated savings of approximately €492 million in carbon emission allowance costs over the same period.
Data from the first eight months of the year show that renewable energy has become the backbone of Portugal’s electricity system. As solar, wind and other clean energy sources continue to expand, their importance is extending beyond the energy transition itself to reducing dependence on energy imports, managing energy costs and strengthening the country’s energy autonomy.
As Portugal continues to improve its electricity grid, energy storage capacity and renewable energy infrastructure, its energy advantages could increasingly provide a foundation for attracting industrial investment and strengthening the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.
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