Records in Portugal:more than half of the electricity produced from renewable sources

In April, Portugal recorded 51% of electricity production from renewable energy.An absolute record.Similar success also in Spain.

Portugal has reached an important milestone:for the first time, over half of its electricity production (51 percent) was generated from wind and solar.It happened in April and new data published by the think tank reveals it Ember.The previous monthly record of 49 percent was set in December 2021.Protagonist of Portugal's new goal it is unquestionably solar, which alone increased from 300 Gwh of production between July and August 2022 to 360 Gwh in April 2023.

Record of renewables despite the drought

There drought which began last year and continued into the spring of 2023 has put many Mediterranean countries to the test, in particular the Iberian Peninsula.But also Italy.Portugal recorded a reduction in the amount of electricity produced from hydroelectric power plants.

But the increase in solar power generation, combined with electricity imports from Spain and lower electricity demand in general have been able to protect Portugal from negative effects of water scarcity.Furthermore, the same conjuncture of events meant that the European nation kept the share of generation from fossil fuels below 24 percent.

Not only Portugal but also northern Europe

Even neighboring Spain recorded all-time records for solar generation in April, with 22 percent.Which, combined with wind power, brings the percentage from renewables to 46 percent.These levels are expected to increase to new records next summer.

But the good news they don't just come from southern Europe.Even the Sweden he touched its all-time high and it did so, in February, with more than a quarter (27 percent) of electricity coming from wind and solar.There Finland saw the two renewable sources reach a record 29 percent production in April.Finally the Belgium recorded an all-time high for electricity generation from wind and solar in April, with 2 TWh, which represents 29 percent of total production.