Renewable production covers 51% of the consumption in 2019

Renewable production supplied 51% of domestic consumption in 2019, with wind power accounting for 27% of consumption - the highest share ever for this technology - hydroelectric for 17%, biomass for 5.5% and photovoltaics for 2.1%.  

Photovoltaics had the highest growth in 2019, surpassing 1 TWh of annual production for the first time. Non-renewable production supplied 42% of consumption, broken down between natural gas with 32% and coal with 10%, the lowest share of coal since the Sines power station became fully operational in 1989. The foreign trade balance, after three years of exporting, favoured importing, supplying 7% of domestic consumption.

As for non-renewable production, it supplied 42% of consumption in 2019, broken down between natural gas with 32% and coal with 10%, the lowest share of coal since the Sines power station became fully operational in 1989. The foreign trade balance, after three years of exporting, favoured importing, supplying 7% of domestic consumption.

Still in 2019, despite the recovery in the last two months. The annual hydropower capability index stood at 0.81, while the wind-power capability index was 1.05.

In December, electrical energy consumption recorded a positive year-on-year evolution, with a growth of 2.0%, or 2.7% when correcting for temperature effects and number of working days. In 2019, consumption totalled 50.3 TWh, with a variation of -1.1% over the previous year. Considering the effects of temperature and number of working days, the variation is -0.2%, practically in line with the previous year's value. This year's consumption is 3.6% below the maximum recorded in 2010.

In December, inflows to hydroelectric dams had a positive month, with the corresponding capability index reaching 1.77. In wind production, also with positive conditions, the capability index was 1.13. The combination of these factors allowed for a period of 131 consecutive hours, the longest ever, between 18 and 23 December, with renewable production exceeding consumption. In December, all renewable production supplied 76% of domestic consumption (including net exports) and non-renewable production accounted for the remaining 24%. The foreign trade balance, regarding exports, was particularly high this month, equivalent to 19% of domestic consumption.

In the natural gas market, there was a positive evolution of 7% in December, with the conventional segment registering a year-on-year drop of 3.2%, compensated by the growth of the gas-fired power production segment, which showed a year-on-year growth of 46%, as a result of the competitiveness of natural gas production versus coal. 

In 2019, natural gas consumption amounted to 67.9 TWh, with an annual variation of 4.8%. This is the second highest annual consumption ever, 2.5% below the all-time high recorded in 2017. In the electricity market segment, which accounted for 35% of total consumption, there was a growth of 4.8% over the previous year, while in the conventional segment there was a trend of stabilisation with a marginal growth of 0.2%.